Managing staff absence effectively is crucial for maintaining productivity and supporting employee wellbeing. But do your team members fully understand your expectations around attendance? And do you have the right systems in place to track and respond to absence fairly?

At Kirby HR Consultancy, we specialise in helping businesses like yours create clear, practical absence management processes. With decades of hands-on HR experience, we’ll ensure your policies not only comply with legal requirements but also promote a supportive workplace culture.

Here’s our four-step framework for managing absence in your organisation:

Step 1: Establish Clear and Robust Policies

A well-drafted absence or attendance policy sets the tone for what is considered acceptable attendance and what actions will be taken if issues arise.

Your policy should:

• Outline reporting procedures for employees who cannot attend work.

• Set reasonable attendance expectations.

• Include clear trigger points for when absence reviews will take place.

Every business is different, so there are no universal benchmarks for attendance levels, but we can help you set fair and realistic standards tailored to your organisation. Having this clarity makes difficult conversations with employees far easier and less confrontational.

Step 2: Communicate Expectations and Processes

Transparency prevents misunderstandings. Employees should know:

• Who to contact if they are unable to work.

• What information they need to provide when reporting an absence.

• What steps you will take if attendance becomes a concern.

Communication should always be empathetic. Absence management isn’t just about protecting productivity; it’s also about supporting staff wellbeing. When handled sensitively, discussions about attendance can strengthen trust and help identify underlying issues before they escalate.

Step 3: Record and Monitor Attendance Consistently

Accurate absence records form the foundation of effective absence management. This data helps you:

• Identify patterns of frequent short-term absence.

• Track eligibility for statutory sick pay and any company sick pay entitlements.

• Trigger absence reviews consistently and fairly.

Many businesses use software systems to log absence and generate reports. We can recommend tools that suit your budget and provide training to get your managers up to speed.

Step 4: Follow a Fair and Consistent Process

Once your systems flag a concern, having a structured process ensures fairness and legal compliance.

For short-term frequent absences, regular review meetings with clear attendance targets often work well. For long-term sickness, referrals to Occupational Health and a phased return-to-work plan may be appropriate.

Key steps include:

• Conducting Return-to-Work interviews to check readiness and offer support.

• Documenting discussions and agreed actions.

• Considering reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 where relevant.

If attendance doesn’t improve, formal action may be necessary – but this should only follow after clear communication, support, and opportunities for improvement.

How Kirby HR Consultancy Can Help

We offer tailored support at every stage of the absence management process:

• Drafting or updating attendance policies and contracts.

• Advising on trigger points and review processes.

• Providing templates, scripts, and documentation for absence meetings.

• Supporting or conducting Occupational Health referrals.

• Handling appeals or more formal procedures if needed.

Whether you want hands-on involvement or light-touch advice, we’ll work flexibly around your business needs.

Ready To Improve your Absence Management?

If absence management is creating challenges for your business – or if you simply want to put a proactive system in place – contact Kirby HR Consultancy today:

📞 07889 053608✉️ [Insert email link]🔗 [Insert contact form link]