Absenteeism isn’t just a human resources headache. It’s often a larger symptom of an unhealthy organization. When it gets out of hand it can become a business problem: chronic, unplanned or prolonged absences hurt morale, slow productivity, damage customer relationships and can hurt your bottom line. But how can you address it without making problems worse, running afoul of potential Family and Medical Leave Act or Americans with Disabilities Act claims or driving up turnover? Successful companies respond by addressing root causes with data-driven insight and smart policies that balance compassion with clarity.
1. Create fair and legally compliant policies
Generic, no-fault policies that penalize employees with points or other disciplinary measures without consideration of the context or reasons behind the absence are risky. Such policies can violate the Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act, FMLA, ADA or other legal protections around medical or disability-related absenteeism. To ensure your policy is clear yet fair:
•Define what constitutes excessive or problematic absenteeism
•Exempt legally protected leaves such as PLAWA, ADA-related medical appointments or FMLA-protected leave (for organizations with more than 50 employees).
•Train managers thoroughly on how to communicate the policy, where the legal boundaries lie and when to escalate concerns to human resources or senior leadership.
•When requesting documentation, particularly for protected leave, tread carefully to avoid privacy issues. Documentation should go to a central, trusted source that is usually not the direct supervisor.
Sound policies, with consistent application and candid communication, not only help avoid legal missteps but they build trust with employees by creating clarity.
2. Diagnose and act on attendance patterns
Make it easy for employees to request time off and report absences. Modern attendance software solutions offer real-time visibility and instant employee reporting, reducing surprises like no-shows and miscommunications about time off. Such tools can be integrated with payroll, benefits and performance systems to handle complexity and centralize data. Further, software solutions make it easy to spot data trends like Friday or Monday absenteeism or departmental spikes. These patterns often signal burnout or deeper cultural issues.
3. Hire for job fit and keep good employees happy
Attendance software can tell what and who, but only conversations with employees can help you understand why. Misalignment between people and roles, conflict or lack of engagement often drives voluntary absences.
Consider using engagement surveys, stay interviews or behavioral assessments to understand what’s going on in your organization. Offer meaningful feedback and support to employees through the following:
•Facilitate team-building sessions to build trust between coworkers and reduce conflict.
•Train managers on essential supervisory skills, including how to have effective one-on-one conversations and how to clarify expectations and responsibilities so employees know where they stand.
•Invest in organizational wellness by supporting employee mental and physical health.
•Offer flexible schedules or remote/hybrid options when possible to accommodate diverse needs.
Having clear policies and procedures for handling absences creates consistency and transparency, which builds trust between employees and the organization. Adding a dose of compassion and flexibility helps employees navigate individual situations and creates loyalty. Combined, your organization will have a prescription for success.
This article appears in SBJ September 2025.