Importance of Employee Attendance in the Workplace

 What do you mean by Attendance ?????

Workplace attendance is the hours and days that employees shop up for work. For employers, it is important to know if and when their employees are showing up as scheduled. The term most frequently refers to employees who are paid hourly. (S M Meathfield, 2020)


Why Employee attendance is more important?????

Monitoring your workforce's time and attendance is crucial to improving business performance and productivity. Organizations that implement effective timekeeping strategies can help employees keep up project goals and deadlines, enhance clients satisfaction, and support overall awareness of employee output.(Tarika, 2022)



Attendance has massive impact for the organization. The punctuality of employees not only supports the organization operations but it helps to enhance the organization productivity. However major problems faced HRM is poor workplace attendance. Employee absenteeism can increase workloads for the present employees and it leads to stress and demotivation of the punctual employees. More absenteeism reflects less productivity and it makes delays in work and leads to missed deadlines. The cost of the staffing can increase because employers has to hired the employees temporally or they have to pay overtime for the existing employees. As a employer what are the stapes we can take to improve the employees punctuality ? How we can motivate the team to attend work regularly? I suggest following improvement plans.  




  1) Create a attendance policy

An attendance policy lists rules and guidelines to track, monitor and enforce employee adherence to scheduled work times. Main goals of an attendance policy as below. (K Main, 2023)

  • Establish procedures for reporting absences and tardiness
  • Standardize requests for planned and last-minute time off
  • Minimize cases of culpable absence or job abandonment
  • Inform about the consequences of unexcused or unreported absence 
An attendance policy is a document that sets clear expectations about employee attendance , punctuality, leave and other details. This type of policy is a important to increase the organization productivity, maintain the relationship between the team and managers and promote individual accountability among entire workforce.

2) Encourage employee engagement

Employee engagement is defined as the emotional investment employees make in their organizations. It is the passion, involvement and motivation they bring work, which they use to guide their work. Engaged employees identify with the goals of the organization and align their own goals with the organization's goals. (P Lalwani, 2021)


Currently 36% of U.S. employees are engaged in their work and workplace.


3) Allow Flexibility working Hours


Flexible working hours means starting and finishing times. Employees can start work earlier or later depending their choice. It includes several ways such as working from home, part time or compressed hours. Flexible working hours is becoming popular at present specially in It fields. Fully flexible working hours appears advantages for the employees as well as the employers. Increase the productivity , lower absence levels, improved work life balance are the advantages for the employees. Attract and retain talent staff is the main benefit for the employers.

All the Workplaces has significantly change with the COVID 19. Workplaces no longer nine-to-five working hours. A survey conducted in 2022 shows that 63% of workers choose flexible working hours. (R Conn, 2022) 




4) Make Sure Employees Know They are Valuable

Always employers has to show their employees about their hard work and how much it is essential to success of the organization. Also explain the negative impact of the absenteeism and how it effect to the organization growth and its co-workers.   

Example - Employee attendance issues may increase the company cost, it may demotivation the employees.


5)   Identify the cause of poor attendance

Poor attendance is not always an attitude problem but it makes significant problem. If the employees need to maintain good attendance employer must determine the cause of poor attendance. Apart from medical issues there can be other factors such as conflict with co-workers, environment problems, heavy workload etc. Before taking the disciplinary action it is essential to try to improve employee attendance.  



 

               Punctually should be a part of our culture.......

List of References

S M Meathfield (27th September 2020) employees attendance is [Online] Available at: https://www.liveabout.com/attendance-1917699 [Accessed on 21st November 2023]

Tarika (31st March 2022) Importance of the attendance is [Online] Available at: https://www.zoho.com/people/hrknowledgehive/Why-it%27s-important-to-track-employee-time-and-attendance.html [Accessed on 21st November 2023]

K Main (02nd August 2023) Attendance policy is [Online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/attendance-policy-template [Accessed on 22nd November 2023]

P Lalwani (11th March 2021) Employee Engagement is [Online] Available at: https://www.spiceworks.com/hr/engagement-retention/articles/what-is-employee-engagement [Accessed on 22nd November 2023]

R Conn (22nd July 2022) flexible working hours [Online} Available at: https://recruitee.com/articles/flexible-work-schedule [Accessed on 22nd November 2023]

















  








 




Comments

  1. Niluke23 November 2023 at 17:39

    I agree with your statement. When considering employees who are directly engaged in operational activities, punctuality holds significant importance. Offering variable incentives tied to increased attendance levels can be beneficial. This approach helps both parties achieve their goals by enhancing satisfaction levels.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA26 November 2023 at 09:18

      More companies are offering short-term incentives. However, there are times when incentive plans don’t work, or even backfire. Witness the debacle with Wells Fargo, ( https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/summer2019/pages/does-incentive-pay-work.aspx) which has cost the company billions in fines, lost business and brand damage.

      Delete
  2. Yasodha Pathirana (R.P.Y.P.R.Pathirana)24 November 2023 at 06:15

    Very good article Mahesh. Attendance is an important factor for any organization to ensure productivity, safety and efficiency. A good attendance record reflects a sense of responsibility and commitment on the part of the employee. To improve good attendance in work place, I think it is good to rewarding employees who consistently have good attendance. It can motivate them to keep up their records. And It might also encourage other people to show up more consistently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA26 November 2023 at 09:29

      It is important to note that this will have significant benefits for the organization final bottom line.

      Delete
  3. Kalpa Premachandra24 November 2023 at 20:42

    To improve employee attendance, focus on understanding the reasons behind absences and providing support, not just punishment. Should look for the underlying causes of poor attendance, such as personal problems, medical issues, or work-related stress. Employer can offer help and resources to address these causes, such as flexible work arrangements, employee assistance programs, or workload adjustments. Creating a positive work environment where employees feel appreciated and supported would stimulate the motivation of the employees. The organizations should clearly communicate attendance expectations and policies and should implement a way of getting feedback from individuals in order to carry out self evaluation.

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    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA26 November 2023 at 22:08

      Yes Kalpa agree with you. Flexible work arrangements benefit both the employee and the employer. Employees can achieve a better work-life balance, lower levels of absence and lower levels of stress. Employers benefit from better motivation and productivity, less overheads and an improvement in trust and the employer/employee relationship. By providing employee assistance programs businesses can support employees through significant life and career events. This provides valuable resources to help them navigate stressors without letting work suffer.

      Delete
  4. M K D Pandula Piumal24 November 2023 at 22:13

    Attendance is crucial to the success of an organization, as it has a significant impact on its operations, productivity, and employee morale. Poor workplace attendance, also known as absenteeism, can lead to increased workloads, stress, and demotivation among employees. It can cause delays, missed deadlines, and higher staffing costs, either through hiring temporary staff or paying for overtime (Meathfield, 2020).

    ReplyDelete
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    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA26 November 2023 at 23:59

      Yes Pandula agree with you. Absenteeism can effect different type people. Individual - Loss of pay , Increased accidents , Altered job perception. Co-workers - Increased workload , Undesired overtime , Conflict with absent worker. Organizational management - Decreased productivity , Increased cost , More grievances. Society - Loss of productivity.

      Delete
  5. Chamila Siriwardena25 November 2023 at 04:20

    To address absenteeism and promote regular attendance, organizations can implement various strategies, such as clear attendance policies, flexible work arrangements, employee wellness programs, recognition and rewards, and addressing underlying causes. By fostering a culture of attendance and understanding the importance of employee presence, organizations can mitigate the negative consequences of absenteeism, maintain productivity, and enhance their overall success.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA27 November 2023 at 00:08

      Agree Chamila. organizations can achieve a decreased absenteeism rate by better understanding the root causes of unplanned absences and knowing the right solutions to prevent chronic absenteeism. According to my view it is essential to Understand the Causes of Absenteeism to reduce the absenteeism. Some of the top reasons for a high employee absenteeism can be Illness, stress , Poorly defined expectations and job duties , Workplace bullying or harassment , Low employee engagement.

      Delete
  6. dayaniwitharana.blogspot.com/2023/11/the talent management26 November 2023 at 05:17

    Employee attendance is crucial for the success of any organization. When employees are consistently present and punctual, it ensures that businesses operate smoothly, efficiently, and productively. Conversely, poor attendance can lead to a cascade of negative consequences, affecting not only individual employees but also the entire organization.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA27 November 2023 at 00:14

      Moreover, attendance impacts your workplace in several other ways. For example, tardiness or the persistent absence of one employee can negatively impact employee morale.

      Delete
  7. Dinesh Aravinda26 November 2023 at 06:54

    Agreed with the article. Maintaining a high level of employee attendance is crucial for the success of any organization, especially in manufacturing environments where interdependent work processes rely on everyone's presence. The Human Resources department plays a pivotal role in achieving this objective by implementing effective attendance management strategies. In addition to the strategies indicated in the practical environment giving monetary and non monetary motivational factors can also be pointed out. For example cash incentives or welfare pack for employees those who maintain less or standard absenteeism during the month, else provide transport facilities are famous factors. Manufacturing companies consider the incurred cost is much lesser compared to the opportunity value of time of employee presence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA27 November 2023 at 01:26

      Yes Aravinda it is very important for manufacturing sector. Manufacturing operations heavily rely on the collective efforts of their workforce. Attendance is crucial to maintain productivity and meet production targets. To remain productive and profitable, organizations in manufacturing must effectively respond to these fluctuations by ensuring that their workforce matches the supply and demand situation. By achieving this balance, they can avoid problems related to overstaffing or understaffing such as increased labour costs, decreased productivity or poor product quality. To meet these challenges a Time and Attendance System can help those in manufacturing get the most out of their workforce.

      Delete
  8. MAHESH KULARATHNA27 November 2023 at 01:23

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Reza28 November 2023 at 00:28

    Employee attendance is important and so is being punctual. When employees work remotely they lose that focus and even to get to work there is a certain discipline. Dress up look your best but these are being lost. Also it is way more productive to have employees report to work as there would be less distractions.

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    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA30 November 2023 at 05:07

      I suggest A hybrid work schedule for this. It is a flexible work model that combines remote and in office work. It lets employees work from home on some days and from the office on others. Workers don’t need to be in the office all the time, but they’re not strictly telecommuters either.

      Delete
  10. Nillmini Ekanayake28 November 2023 at 11:05

    Adding to your points, Employee attendance is a foundational element in the workplace that influences productivity, teamwork, morale, and overall organizational success. It is a key indicator of commitment, professionalism, and reliability, and its impact extends across various aspects of the business.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA4 December 2023 at 22:17

      Agree with you Nilmini. Attendance one of the key performance indicator of the success of the business. Moreover, attendance impacts your workplace in several other ways. For example, tardiness or the persistent absence of one employee can negatively impact employee morale.

      Delete
  11. MAHESH KULARATHNA30 November 2023 at 05:10

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Chaminda Senadeera3 December 2023 at 04:26

    I would say with my personal experience, the importance of physical attendance has decrease after the post COVID situation and introducing the hybrid working environment. however we have to agreed with you the points highlighted in your article and the points highlighted by Nilmini Ekanayake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA4 December 2023 at 23:07

      Yes Chaminda, as you argued with evidences. According to survey data collected by McKinsey, as of fall 2022, office workers were going to the office just 3.5 days per week, on average, with the majority of survey respondents (56%) having a hybrid working schedule. Post-COVID-19, workplaces prioritize flexibility, remote work, and technology-enabled collaboration, leading to a more adaptable, technology-driven.

      Delete
  13. Chathuri Pathirage3 December 2023 at 20:33

    How can organizations effectively communicate the value of each employee's contribution to the success of the organization while also addressing attendance issues, and what proactive measures can be taken to identify and mitigate the diverse factors contributing to poor attendance beyond medical concerns?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA5 December 2023 at 00:45

      Agreed with the argument Chathuri. Employers can introduce Clear Attendance Policies and Procedures to address the attendance issues. It is a set of guidelines that a company or organization creates to outline expectations for employee attendance. This policy may include information on acceptable reasons for absences, attendance tracking, and consequences for tardiness or absences. Management can introduce Attendance Management System which is a software-based system that keeps a record of all attendance-based data of the employees. It is necessary to maintain separate department for attendance tracking of the organization. Smaller organizations may not require a dedicated department, while larger ones may benefit from it. Some of benefits are they can track attendance accurately and can identify and correct any errors in attendance records , identify attendance issues early on and can intervene to address the problem before it becomes a larger issue.

      Delete
  14. Shankavi14 December 2023 at 06:43

    I agree with your point,
    The seamless operation of the workplace is based on frequent attendance. It helps with productivity, team dynamics, and the organization's overall performance. One of the most important components of workplace discipline is regular attendance. It creates a work environment that is organized and professional by outlining expectations and norms.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 02:16

      Addressing irregular attendance is an essential part of maintaining productivity and fostering a healthy work environment. It ensures that all members of a team contribute equally and encourages a culture of responsibility and accountability.

      Delete
  15. Tharanga14 December 2023 at 23:47

    Employees should be able to modify their work schedules to meet their personal needs, regardless of their position. This will allow them to enjoy a better work-life balance, which will boost their general well-being, lower stress levels, and increase job satisfaction. In this manner, workers are continuously encouraged to show up, which raises attendance and productivity. (factohr, 2023)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 02:29

      Absenteeism happens when employees consistently do not attend work or fail to perform their duties. This issue may be caused by several factors, including personal health concerns, family challenges, unhappiness with the job, or a deficiency in responsibility. By observing and analyzing patterns of absenteeism, employers can determine the reasons behind it and take specific actions to address these issues.

      Delete
  16. Charith Perera16 December 2023 at 23:37

    Agreed , Employee attendance for an organization is vital , After covid pandemic many organization has shifted to Work from home (WFH) methods which also reduced many costs like , tea services , transportation , utility bill costs etc. . But on the downside , The effectiveness of work ha slightly dropped with WFH method.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 02:42

      Agreed Charitha. Due to the pandemic, most workers experienced work from home (WFH). Hence WFH has become a policy priority for most governments. slightly dropped in the productivity during the WFH period. Most recently David Atkin and co-authors randomized data entry workers between office and home locations, finding a striking 18% drop to productivity from home working.

      Delete
  17. Rehana Uvais19 December 2023 at 00:20

    I agree with you. Poor attendance is definitely a challenge. It disrupts the workflow, affects team collaboration and negatively impacts productivity. Therefore I feel giving attention to this is vital to maintain a cohesive and effective work environment in today's corporate world.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 02:49

      Further impact of absenteeism will be a problem that organizations should understand how it affects individual, team and organizational performance. Absenteeism can affect individual productivity , have an impact on profits.

      Delete
  18. Eranthi Samarasinghe20 December 2023 at 02:07

    Some organizations are not strictly monitoring in and out times of the employees and encourage self-discipline among the employees. However, they expect all employees to ensure to meet given deadlines and perform their job as expected by the management.

    ReplyDelete

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