Absenteeism
Absenteeism – what is it in professional work?
Employee absence means the employee’s absence from the workplace at a specific time when there is a need to appear resulting, for example, from an employment contract or legal provisions. In other words, if an employee participates in the hiring process, their presence is mandatory, and any absence requires explanation and proper documentation.
Absence may be excused, such as annual leave, maternity leave, or absence in the case of one’s own illness or the illness of a child, documented by a sick leave and confirmed by a medical certificate. There are also situations when an employee takes time off to care for a healthy child or has to participate in a family celebration with a family member – then we are dealing with the so-called planned absence.
However, there is also an unexcused absence, which can be problematic. Unexcused absence, i.e. absence of presence without consent and without an appropriate statement, is a serious breach of employee obligations. Such a situation is treated as an unexcused absence, which may lead to disciplinary consequences and, in extreme cases, even termination of the contract.
Types of employee absences and their characteristics
We can distinguish different types of absenteeism:
- Planned absence – planned in advance, e.g. holidays or participation in important family events.
- Excused absence – e.g. absence due to the employee’s own illness, supported by documents.
- Unexcused absence – in other words, unexcused absence when an employee does not show up for work without notice and without formal grounds.
Organizations measure the level of absenteeism and the frequency of absenteeism to assess employee attendance and understand how absences affect productivity. Too high a level of absenteeism, especially unjustified absenteeism, means that the employer needs to react. It is a serious organizational problem, generating financial losses, disruptions in the organization of processes, work and its continuity.
Absenteeism and the obligations of the employer and the employee
For the employer, each absence means the need to reorganize tasks and cover staff shortages. Every day of work with an unfilled position can slow down the achievement of company goals. On the other hand, it should be important for the employee to document each absence – most often by means of an appropriate statement or medical certificate.
Unexcused absence has serious consequences – a reduction in salary, loss of bonuses, and in extreme cases even disciplinary dismissal. Therefore, the employee should make sure that each absence is properly reported and formally justified.
Employee absence in the company
Absenteeism from work is a natural and inevitable phenomenon – every employee takes vacations, gets sick, takes care of their family. The problem only arises when the absence becomes excessive or there is an unexcused absence that disrupts the functioning of the company.
By analyzing the level of absenteeism and its causes, the employer can better understand the situation of their team. The right approach to absenteeism is not only a control, but also a diagnostic tool that reveals the workload patterns of teams and indicates where process changes or leadership support are needed.
