Improving Attendance: What Managers Can Do

Use this video-based training programme to equip your managers with the skills and knowledge they need to carry out effective return-to-work interviews.

The W.A.R.M. approach to dealing with absenteeism illustrated in the drama video shows managers how to be supportive and motivating, while also emphasising the employee's responsibility to come to work. Developed by Hugh Murray, the W.A.R.M. mnemonic provides you and your managers with a four-step process for conducting return-to-work interviews with all types of employee.

It's simple, easy to remember and allows the interview to progress naturally through four distinct phases: Welcome welcome them back; tell them they were missed Absence discuss the absence; what caused it? Are they fit to work? Responsibility it may not be their fault, but it is their problem Move on focus on getting back to work.

The drama video illustrates realistic return-to-work interviews with four completely different types of absentee: the genuinely sick person; the stressed single mother; the de-motivated, disabled colleague and the guy who thinks sick leave is part of his holiday entitlement. The programme shows that by using the same W.A.R.M. process, all return-to-work interviews can be carried out in the same effective way.

Learning Objectives:
* By using the video and accompanying activities in the trainer's guide, you will be able to ensure that your managers:
* Understand the importance of controlling absenteeism
* Understand their role in controlling it
* Understand the possible causes of absenteeism
* Have the skills to conduct effective return-to-work interviews.

The one hour and one day ready-made course suggestions in the trainer's guide will save you around 80% of your course preparation time. This programme will help you foster a positive, performance management approach to absenteeism. People who know they will be missed if they aren't at work tend to be more motivated and productive. They also tend to be there!

Improved attendance results in:
* Less disruption to production, operations, customer services and in all areas of the organisation
* Dramatic cost savings (less over-time and temporary cover)
* A reduction in the need for disciplinary action and associated costs
* Improved morale (since bad feeling between colleagues is avoided). Train your managers to carry out effective return-to-work interviews using this programme and individuals in your organisation will feel valued and supported.

Your managers can satisfy themselves that the employee really is fit to return to work and probe any underlying problem that may be causing the absence. Finally, they will be able to agree immediate work priorities and end the interview on a positive, upbeat note. Measurable results It's very easy to calculate the costs of absence. And the costs are huge. They include not only the cost of employing someone who is off sick, but also the knock-on costs of employing temporary cover, opportunity costs and all the costs of disruption to normal work-flow. On top of this is the negative impact on employees who have to stand in for their absent colleague. The cost of each working day lost can be quantified. This means that by delivering training which reduces absence, you are able to measure the return on training investment. This kind of programme quickly pays for itself and provides you with unequivocal results.

Especially relevant to:
* Attendance management
* Calculating costs of absenteeism
* Management development
* Performance management