Managing employee performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing employee performance - Essay Example The paper critically analyses three strategies including policy framework, monitoring and coordinating attendance, and reward system in order to curtail absenteeism. Contrary to common belief, compromising working conditions, low job satisfaction, and ill-treatment are identified to be the main reasons of absenteeism. If left unaddressed, absenteeism leads to loss of money, productivity, stress amongst co-workers and organization as a whole. The paper analyses the way a detailed, updated, and consistent policy framework prevent absenteeism before it develops. However, written policy is the first step which must be preceded with proper communication and consistent policy implementation. Policy framework is further enhanced by monitoring and coordinating attendance. Attendance tracking is identified to be more effective when linked with payroll and HRIS. Keeping and maintaining records is sufficient to keep the employees alert and absenteeism under controlled. Third strategy of reward and incentive is proactive in nature. Offering attractive reward for regular employees and incentive for potential employees who can be regular attendee seems a practical solution. However, some experts are apprehensive of its negative consequences, such as, unproductive attendance. The research and analysis of these strategies and reasons of absenteeism leads to a balanced approach. The paper suggests adopting the combination of different strategies designed in accordance to the specific needs of an organization’s absenteeism problem. 2. Causes of Absenteeism Generally perceived reasons for absenteeism include: sickness, workloads, low compensation, and family issues. However, research shows a different side of the picture. While studying employee opinion about absenteeism issue, several anonymous studies identified that neither low pay, high workloads, less compensation, and poor benefits, nor actual sickness are the causes of absenteeism. In fact, absenteeism is identified to be a symptom of bad working conditions, low job satisfaction, and ill-treatment of supervisors. An effective method to determine the reasons of employees’ absence is to inquire the supervisor for the reasons of absenteeism and the ways to curtail it. Suggestions for possible solutions will be provided by only those supervisors who have actually put some efforts in dealing with the issue (cited in Levine, 1999). It is critical to understand that reasons for absenteeism vary in different organizations. In order to implement any strategy to curtail absenteeism, employers’ must identify the underlying reasons which are leading to absenteeism in their organization. 3. Consequences of Absenteeism Absenteeism at workplace is a troublesome and costly issue, the most perturbing is the fact that approximately 50 percent of absenteeism stems from unacceptable reasons (Gwaltney, 1994, p.24).Major consequences of absenteeism are lost productivity, unreasonable overtime pay, and paid sick leave (Tyler, 1997, p.57).In addition, absenteeism at workplace leads to: lower productivity, compromising work quality, loss of team work, and increased payroll cost in the form of overtime (Miller et al. cited in   Lockhart,2001,p.8). Absenteeism frequently cause last-minute struggle for supervisor to look for replacements (Markowich et