Using Technology to Combat Unplanned Absenteeism in the Work Place

By Nancy Weber
Frost & Sullivan
October 2009

Does it feel like organizations are being bombarded on all sides these days? Companies are struggling due to the economic issues, and are also coping with high absenteeism due to the H1N1 virus, seasonal influenza, snow storms, stress and other unplanned events. The loss of one or several employees for a single day or multiple days can have major impacts to these organizations from both a productivity and a revenue standpoint. However, through the use of technology including audio or web conferencing tools, these losses can be minimized. To prepare to meet these challenges, companies can create a three-pronged approach to improving company environments, ensuring appropriate resources and setting in place an action plan.

Unplanned absenteeism is everywhere. Today's headlines in the U.S. are filled with reports of large numbers affected by the H1N1 flu. The U.S. has declared a "national emergency" and the Centers for Disease Control reports that influenza-like illnesses are increasing steeply and are now higher than what is seen at the peak of the traditional flu season.

So, what can companies do to counter these issues and keep employees productive? Develop a plan that takes a three-pronged approach: Environment, Resources, Action Plan.

Environment in a company can make or break it in tough times. If companies want to keep employees once the job market opens up, they will need to have provided employees with reasons to stay. The loss of employees and subsequent retraining can ultimately cost companies millions of dollars. Here are some suggestions to create an upbeat environment:

1. Encourage learning opportunities and challenges. Many companies provide distance learning tools and training utilizing web conferencing tools. Online webinar and on-demand training are other tools now available to provide employee enrichment. Many professional societies are looking at ways to retain (and grow) membership through the use of web conferencing to live-stream or provide on-demand education for local events.
2. Support a good fit between work and personal life. I like to subscribe to what I classify as the Star Trek model. In other words, somewhere within a 24-hour period I work, eat, sleep, exercise and have fun. The ability to have web conferencing tools available to me allows me to connect globally for meetings regardless of where I am or the time of day. I no longer need to drive an hour to the office to make that meeting or connect with that individual. If I need to attend a meeting in Australia, I can roll out of bed at 3 a.m. and then snuggle back between the covers an hour later. I can reach my customers or contacts based on their convenience.
3. Have a supervisor who supports job success and flexibility. Key to support on the job is the ability to work from home or work at home. The U.S. Census reports an increase of 650 percent in less than 25 years of workers working at home. People want to work from home for a variety of reasons, from reducing commuting time to reduced distractions from other employees to wanting to work at their own convenience. And it's not just IT companies which are recognizing the value of employees working from home. Today an increased number of companies are allowing employees to work at home one or two days a week. Other companies have moved to a total work-from-home model for some or all of their employees. Additionally, providing employees with the flexibility to come in late, leave early, or stay at home with a sick child, boosts employees' moral and loyalty to an organization. Finally, many employees need to adjust their work schedules and locations to adapt to a global working environment. Web and audio conferencing provides the flexibility to attend meetings outside of the traditional work times and locations. Today, employees have the resources available to take a training class in Europe at 7 p.m. or attend an internal global company briefing through these tools at 6 a.m.

Resources or tools are critical for employees who need to work outside of the office. The ability to provide these tools to an employee will help to slow down the overall impact of absenteeism to the individual, their team and the company.

1. Internet Access: Most employees today have high-speed Internet access at home. If your employee had to be home with a sick parent or child for an extended time, is your company equipped with loaner PCs or have you set up a way that your employees can access their desktop or the company Intranet from home? Can one employee train another via a web conferencing session? Today many employees are now able to cart their laptop computers everywhere to do work in hospital waiting rooms and doctors' offices. But are they set up to take it to the next stage? Could they connect into the office network to e-mail an important report to a client from the hospital or airport? From their home?
2. Instant Messaging: Twenty years ago I was introduced to instant messaging at my first job. I fell in love with the feature but had to wait for technology to catch up to see it employed in the work environment. Today our world is one of instant access. To succeed, businesses rely on being at the right spot at the right time. Small and medium-size businesses have available to them low-cost tools that provide this advantage.
3. Web and Audio Conferencing Tools: Smart companies today understand the value of having web and audio conferencing tools to enhance and drive business. Tools help to constrain costs while at the same time allow for the increase in customer interface and employee training. Companies are able to manage ad-hoc international calling and meetings without subscribing to plans or coping with unplanned high phone bills. Web conferencing tools enable companies have full access to customers or clients globally as needed. Additionally, through web conferencing employees and customers are able to see presentations, demonstrations, ask questions, and view the presentation real-time or on-demand.

Action plans or continuity planning for managing the impact of a crisis is critical for companies to weather this rocky road or future pandemics. Steps companies can take:

1. Identify key employees and vital functions. Cross train on the critical components of employees' jobs. Identify major changes in business processes that might impact how customers are served, and adjust and communicate appropriately.
2. Plan ways to work around the short term or long term absence of that employee. Determine if the jobs can be handled out of the office and what tools are available to support that capability.
3. Communicate early and often. Let employees know what resources are available for them, what the company's policy is for sick time, working from home, etc. Early communication reduces anxiety and ensures business continuity. Keep everyone in the loop and on track.
4. Reduce risk to employees through prevention and education.
5. Determine if you have a response plan in place for a pandemic. Address how the company and specific locations are going to prepare for/react to a pandemic.

Business leaders and human resource staff need to spend time understanding and preparing a pandemic plan. You may not have to implement it right away, but the globalization of the world has ensured that the odds of businesses not being impacted are minimal. Tools such as the Internet, instant messaging, cell phones and web conferencing can greatly reduce the impact of pandemic outbreaks for businesses today.