subject: Attendance and Flexibility [print this page] Attendance and Flexibility Attendance and Flexibility
"Attendance policies" are usually seen at many workplaces. Each company has a different setting and guidelines for such policy, depending of the line of work, industry and company culture. However, they all have the same objective: assure that expected daily tasks are performed timely and effectively following a schedule to maintain a smooth operation at all times, in order to keep the business running successfully.
Attendance policies need to be applied consistently and need to be linked to team, departmental, division and company goals. However, no employee wants to work in a team where he/she will feel like a work prisoner with zero flexibility.
It is a fact that employee's leave supervisor NOT companies, and for this reason supervisor should make an effort to see the employee as a human being and not just as a number on the payroll sheet.
As long as the company keeps consistent practices, there is always room for some flexibility. Meeting employee's half way is a good practice that strengthens the company's culture and maintains a healthy work environment.
One of the questions that managers have everyday is:
How can I be a flexible manager who understands the employee's personal challenges that prevent them from being at work, while making sure the attendance policy doesn't loose it's consistency?
Here are some tips managers and supervisors can use to be flexible and assure this policy is followed at the same time:
Before hiring somebody, ask applicants about their work attendance.
Ex:
- Do you have reliable transportation to get to work on time?
- Have you ever had attendance issues before?
This step will give you some basic information on the applicant's attendance style.
When hiring employees, make sure they understand all company's policies before they start to work. Emphasize on the ones that are crucial for the department and/or company. Employees should know where they will be working at, and what kind of employer they will have. No surprises!
Communicate clearly management expectation. As far as attendance, it is important for the employee to understand at what time he is expected to be at the workstation, what do to and who to call when experiencing challenges getting to work, and the consequences of not following such policy. This will save you many headaches.
When employees come to you with a valid reason of why they have to be absent from work for a day or a couple of hours, try to accommodate their needs without loosing focus on the Team goals. Employees will appreciate your effort by working extra-hard upon return to work.
Do NOT have favorites. If flexibility is not applied correctly, and you as a supervisor tend to be more lenient with some employees that with others, you will be applying favoritism instead of flexibility. This will not look good at court under any circumstance.
Make employee's accountable for their actions. If an employee has asked for a couple of hours to run a personal errand and such employee takes advantage of the time given, counsel and/or discipline the employee right away depending on the severity of the occurrence.
If employees don't have any time off, vacations or sick days and need to be absent for a day. IF possible try to adjust their schedule in a way that they work 40 hours a week. Perhaps work on a Saturday or some extra hours during the workweek.
Partner with the Human Resource department and discuss ideas, questions and concerns.
Remember that these tips are only good if you look at your company policies and procedures first and take it from there; what can be allowed and what can't be, based on what the company needs to accomplish, and making sure that no law is broken.
