What is absenteeism?
In this section, we explore the meaning of absenteeism by providing a clear definition. We then look into the different types of absenteeism in the workplace.
A definition of absenteeism
In general terms, absenteeism is an employee failing to attend their work as scheduled. It is usually unplanned and can be related to illness or unplanned events. The consequence is that the worker is not able to attend their job and deliver on their tasks as scheduled. It is different to planned absences that are scheduled in advance and most of the time approved ahead of the absence.
Employers use an absenteeism rate that calculates the number of unplanned absences divided by the total number of working days. This indicator helps human resources teams to analyse the rate and potentially identify the reasons for absenteeism, for example issues between individuals in the workforce or more generally the organisation’s culture.
The different types of absences in the workplace
There are a number of different types of absenteeism, with different reasons for these absences. We look into the types of absenteeism in the section below.
Approved absences
An approved absence is when an employee requests an absence and is given permission for it. The reason for the absence should be legitimate and can relate to holidays, parental leave, long-term medical leave, personal challenges that need to be taken care of, jury duty and many more. All relate to external needs that need to be taken care of during work hours.
Occasional absences
There are times when employees cannot plan their absences and still need the time off. Life events get in the way and there should be space for the unexpected. Occasional absences can be sick days, childcare challenges, bereavement, court issues and commuting challenges. Occasional absences should be just that, occasional. Occasional absences are generally expected to remain infrequent, and organisations often set internal expectations for how they are used.
Chronic absenteeism
When an employee is absent on a regular basis, the absenteeism becomes chronic. Most of the time, the employer has not granted permission for these absences. Chronic absenteeism can affect operations and may influence overall organisational performance. It disrupts the good functioning of the business, brings down profitability and puts pressure on the workforce that are present as they have to compensate for their absent colleague.
The types of absenteeism above are easily identified and should be addressed in different ways.
The impact of absenteeism on your business
Absenteeism can have notable effects on organisations. It has a negative impact on your business, with costs that are often significant and therefore have a direct impact on profitability. Here are some of the main negative consequences of absenteeism for your organisation.
Direct impact on productivity
There can be various effects when an employee is absent. Their colleagues may have to cover for the work, meetings might need to be rescheduled, workload needs to be caught up on, project deadlines might need to be adjusted and leaders need to utilise their time to manage the absence and the logistics that it entails. For all these reasons, absenteeism has a direct correlation with productivity.
Increased workload for employees who are present
When an employee is absent, their colleagues often have to compensate for this absence. This generates stress and high volumes of work, affecting employee wellbeing in the long run. Depending on the job, the employee who is absent might also have to catch up on their work when they are back. Backlogs caused by the absence can be difficult to manage and may be overwhelming.
Cost for your business and for the absent employee
Indirectly, when a staff member is absent, the company has to pay for the costs of replacing them. There are direct costs such as additional heads but also indirect costs that relate to the administrative work involved, such as recruitment, human resources or IT work.
Harmful influence on the company culture
Chronic absenteeism has a deep effect over time. It creates tensions in the workplace between colleagues. The imbalance generates stress and feelings of unfairness within the workforce. If not addressed, absenteeism can have a long-lasting impact on the company culture.
Negative impact on employee motivation
When it comes to motivation, the consequences of absenteeism are substantial. Depending on the cause of the absence, the employee in question might feel demotivated. In some situations, employees returning from challenging circumstances may find it difficult to resume workload immediately. Absences can sometimes affect team motivation. Check our content for more on how to develop employee engagement and motivation in the workplace here.
How to tackle absenteeism in the workplace
Some causes of absenteeism can be addressed. We look into the actions that employers can take to tackle absenteeism and improve their employees’ experience in the long run.
Implement a flexible work environment
Many organisations use flexible scheduling or location options where role and business needs allow, with the intent of balancing work requirements and individual circumstances.
Keep the workforce motivated and the morale high
Influencing the company culture is a long-term game. Managing absenteeism at work and incorporating wellness programmes or personal development opportunities, which may result in reduced absenteeism, will greatly benefit the company culture.
Lead by example
Having a culture where leaders practice what they preach will have a positive influence on absenteeism. Team members tend to behave like their leaders and as such, having engaged leadership teams that value people will make for better employee engagement. Find out more about our comprehensive list of leadership qualities here.
Many organisations document attendance expectations within their policies
Some organisations outline escalation pathways within their internal policies, following their established procedures. Clear, accessible language can help set expectations and reduce confusion.
Address unplanned absences promptly
Some organisations monitor attendance patterns and use existing policies and processes to understand circumstances and maintain continuity.
Employee recognition
Some employers incorporate attendance‑related signals (for example, reliability, punctuality) into broader recognition approaches, noting that practices vary by organisation.
Educate and train leaders to manage absenteeism
Organisations may offer guidance and resources that help managers navigate attendance conversations in line with internal policies.
Identify and understand the cause of absenteeism
Organisations sometimes review attendance data and gather employee feedback to better understand drivers of absence, then refer to their policies for any next steps.
Communicate thoroughly with the employee who is absent
Where appropriate, employers may hold conversations to understand circumstances, following their established policies and timing considerations.
Have a return-to-work strategy
Some organisations provide structured support or documentation to ease reintegration after an extended absence, aligned with internal policy.
Take the appropriate disciplinary action
Where relevant, organisations may outline escalation pathways within their policies. Any use of such pathways typically follows documented steps and applicable local requirements.
Regardless of the nature of your business, employee absenteeism is a challenge. Understanding its reasons is essential to address this issue and cultivate a healthy company culture in the long run.
