Turned Up and Tuned In: A manager’s guide to maximising staff attendance

1. Uncovering the causes - It’s more complex than you think

Did you know?

High absence rates are frequently a symptom of an underlying problem at the individual, managerial and/or organisational level
Absence is sometimes an ‘escape’ or ‘withdrawal’ strategy and a characteristic stress response
Identifying the cause is not always straightforward and often involves a combination of individual, workplace and non–work related factors
Individual factors that impact an employee’s ability to attend include: illness, injury and general state of health
Non–work related factors act as barriers to attendance and include: carer’s responsibilities and personal emergencies
Possible workplace factors are numerous and can either positively or negatively impact an individual’s motivation to attend. They include organisational culture, management practices and job design
Agency consultations revealed no reliable correlation between high absence rates and any one specific individual characteristic, such as age or gender
Individual work values are ingrained personal beliefs that guide behaviour and are the source of an individual’s job satisfaction if met
Job satisfaction factors consistently rated highly by APS employees are:
- good working relationships
- flexible working arrangements
- regular feedback and recognition
- good manager⁹

How to recognise a potential problem Manager’s Checklist

Tips

As a manager, you have little direct influence over the individual or non-work related factors. The key is to demonstrate care, concern, understanding and flexibility in your approach

As a manager, your greatest opportunity to make a difference is in the workplace factors. Focus your attention on areas that can influence employee motivation to attend

Ask HR

For regular leave reports
For guidance on interpreting the figures and next steps to take
Other sources of information and trends that can shed light on the causal factors

Some indicators to look out for:

You detect an emerging pattern occurring
You encounter an ‘entitlement’ mindset
When reasonable deadlines are not met regularly
You observe a decline in overall work performance
When conflict arises between team members and/or supervisors
You detect a lack of enthusiasm or indifference
Staff survey results indicate low job satisfaction or dissatisfaction with management

Potential triggers include:

Work areas where the roles are characterised by high demand and low control
Seasonal or intermittent peak business periods
Forced relocation or redeployment
Organisational and/or leadership change
High turnover and recruitment of new staff
Crises in an employee’s personal life
When an employee experiences physical or verbal assault, harassment or abuse
When an employee is being formally counselled for underperformance
When an employee is involved in an investigation of a suspected breach of the code of conduct

9 Australian Public Service Commission, State of the Service Employee Survey Results 2004-05, 2005, p.37.

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