Absenteeism isn’t just about people being off sick. It’s the silent disruptor of productivity, morale, and team balance. And when it starts creeping up, it can feel like you’re constantly firefighting — filling gaps, reshuffling rotas, and wondering what’s really going on.
If absence rates are climbing and it’s starting to feel like the norm rather than the exception, something has to change. It’s not about cracking down harshly or panicking. It’s about understanding why it’s happening and taking practical steps to get things back on track.
1. Bring in an Occupational Health Consultant
If you’re dealing with regular or long-term absences, guessing won’t cut it. You need clear, professional insight into what’s going on, not only with individuals but also with any underlying patterns across your team.
An occupational health consultant can:
● Give you expert advice on whether someone is fit to work
● Help you understand what adjustments (if any) are needed
● Offer recommendations backed by medical insight, not assumptions
This isn’t about policing absence. It’s about having the right information to make fair, legally sound decisions, especially around issues like mental health, chronic illness, or recurring sickness.
And if you’re starting to see trends across the business, like stress-related absences or frequent short-term sickness, Occupational Health Consultancy can help you spot root causes and suggest broader changes to improve employee wellbeing.
2. Stop Relying on Return-to-Work Meetings Alone
Return-to-work meetings are important, yes. They give you a chance to check in, understand the reason for the absence, and spot any red flags. But if they’re your only tactic, they’re not enough.
Why? Because by the time someone’s off repeatedly, the issue is already growing. These meetings need to be part of a wider strategy: one that includes early intervention, proper manager training, and proactive support for people before they reach breaking point.
3. Look at Your Data, But Don’t Just Count Days
You can’t fix what you’re not tracking. But raw numbers only tell part of the story. You need to dig deeper into:
● Who is off, and how often
● Patterns by team, location, or manager
● Common reasons for absence (stress, colds, or injuries?)
● When absences tend to spike (after holidays? Mondays?)
Data should help you spot trends, not just tally totals. If one team has noticeably higher absence rates than others, look closer. Are workloads unreasonable? Is the culture off? Is there a leadership problem? These are the things the spreadsheet won’t tell you, but you’ll find them if you follow the trail.
4. Assess Your Workplace Culture
Sometimes, high absenteeism is the symptom, not the root problem. If people are feeling undervalued, stressed, unsupported, or like they’re just a number, they’re more likely to burn out. Or check out. Or stay off longer than they need to.
Ask yourself:
Do employees feel safe speaking up if they’re struggling?
Are managers checking in regularly, not just when someone’s off?
Is there a culture of presenteeism — where people feel guilty for being ill?
Do teams feel connected, or is everyone operating in silos?
Culture doesn’t shift overnight, but identifying what’s broken is the first step to changing it. And when people feel respected and looked after, they tend to show up in every sense.
5. Train Managers Properly
A manager’s attitude towards absence can make or break your approach. If they’re inconsistent, dismissive, or avoid the issue altogether, it sends the wrong message. Equally, if they’re too heavy-handed, they’ll damage trust. The sweet spot is confident, compassionate leadership.
Good training should help managers:
● Spot early warning signs of burnout or stress
● Know how to approach sensitive conversations
● Understand legal risks around disability and sickness absence
● Apply policies fairly and consistently
When your managers are equipped to lead well, absence becomes a manageable issue, not a recurring crisis.
6. Revisit Your Policies & Actually Use Them
When did you last read your sickness absence policy? If it’s gathering dust somewhere on the intranet, you’re not alone. But a clear, well-communicated policy is essential. It sets expectations, creates consistency, and protects everyone involved. Make sure your policies:
● Outline clear triggers for formal processes
● Explain what support is available (EAP, phased returns, etc.)
● Set expectations for communication during sick leave
● Include how and when occupational health might be involved
And it’s not just about having the policy; it’s about applying it properly. Fairly. Consistently. No one should feel singled out, and no one should feel ignored.
7. Talk About Mental Health – Like It’s Normal
Because it is. And yet, in many workplaces, mental health is still whispered about. That silence leads to stigma, which leads to avoidance, which leads to absence. If stress, anxiety, or burnout are major causes of time off, you can’t afford to tiptoe around the topic.
Start normalising conversations around mental health. This might mean encouraging leaders to share their own experiences, promoting support services in a way that’s actually engaging, and giving employees space and time to talk, not just work.
It’s not about being soft. It’s about being human. And when people feel able to speak up before things spiral, absenteeism drops — because issues are handled before they turn into long-term problems.
8. Offer Flexibility Where You Can
Rigid schedules, long commutes, or lack of control over hours can all contribute to burnout and time off. If it’s possible to build some flexibility into roles, whether through hybrid working, part-time options, or flexible start times, it can make a noticeable difference.
Not every business or role can offer full flexibility, and that’s fine. But even small changes can help. Letting someone start an hour later if they’re dealing with school runs or medical appointments might be the difference between them being off sick or still coming in.
People appreciate being treated like adults. And that trust tends to come back in the form of better engagement and lower absence rates.
Where You Go From Here
High absenteeism isn’t a one-solution problem. You won’t solve it by tightening policies or sending out another HR memo. It takes proper insight, a willingness to ask the hard questions, and the commitment to support people better.
If you’re serious about improving attendance, start with what’s real. Get expert advice, dig into your data, talk to your people, and look at how your culture might be contributing.
