It’s no secret that people don’t want to be stuck at work during the summer months, especially when it’s a job they don’t really like. Between lagging attendance and employee turnover, it can be difficult for your department or your company to meet its goals when the warmer weather hits.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, absenteeism costs US employers nearly $226 billion a year. Missing employees can’t contribute to the bottom line, and the loss of labor could result in unnecessary overtime pay. Absenteeism can also result in missed deadlines, lower quality of products and services, lower employee engagement and higher turnover.
While attendance and turnover aren’t necessarily related, some strategies can effectively kill two birds with one stone. Consider the following ways to address both lagging attendance and employee turnover during the summer months.
Offer Workplace and Schedule Flexibility
Ever since the pandemic changed the way that we see work, people now expect some degree of flexibility from their employer. Desk-based employees expect the option to work remotely at least a few days out of the week. People who don’t work behind a desk expect some degree of flexibility when it comes to their schedule. Meeting this expectation can significantly reduce employee turnover.
Flexibility also helps to combat absenteeism. People are much less likely to call in sick when they can work from home. They are also better able to handle childcare responsibilities during the summer or maintain a better work-life balance when they can flex their schedule, rather than calling in sick.
Foster Communication and Collaboration
Communication and collaboration platforms like Sling or Slack aren’t just for office workers anymore. Every type of business, from corner restaurants to massive industrial facilities, can benefit from helping employees communicate and work better together. Better communication and collaboration boost employee engagement, which has a negative effect on employee turnover.
These tools can also help to minimize the impacts of absenteeism. Desk-based workers can use them to be just as effective from home. Managers of on-premise teams can use these tools to quickly fill shifts or make other arrangements when someone calls in sick. These tools can also help employees trade shifts or pick up extra work.
Leverage Data for Workforce Management
When a workforce is too small or too large for a workload, it can result in higher employee turnover and absenteeism. Data on sales, productivity and other metrics can help managers to right-size their workforce to better manage surges or drop-offs in business. Data can also reveal which and departments are most impacted by absenteeism, allowing managers to take preventative or mitigating actions.
We Can Help Your Company Stay Productive This Summer
At American StaffCorp, we help Oklahoma and Missouri companies meet all kinds of staffing challenges, including seasonal challenges. If you are looking to shore up your summer staffing situation, please contact us today to find out how we can be of assistance.
