What happens in your agency when an employee calls in sick? As with any other event, if you have a plan in place you’ll be able to conduct business as usual. In this document, Grace Bauer suggests that you view time off with a new perspective.
Should I even bring it up? What will agency principals and owners think? When I started my business 12 years ago I still thought that employees should be at the office every single day. Under no circumstances should I ever call in sick. Management and fellow employees recognized sick days as a mortal sin.
'Susan is calling in sick. Her baby is sick again. John’s out again.' Yes, Susan needs to call in sick. Work is way down on her list. Health and family come first. And that’s the way most of America thinks — and should think. Work is a means to make money to live well. I realize some of us really love our jobs; however, most of us are working strictly for the money. Encourage time off, plan on it, and give time off. You’ll probably notice increased productivity, efficiency, morale, and, most importantly, peace of mind.
ENCOURAGE TIME OFF
Everyone needs time off for doctor appointments, family illnesses, special appointments, and weekday errands. Especially now with agencies trying to do more work with fewer staff, we need the time. Some of us just need time for us — that special day to just do nothing. We can get burned out so easily with companies rewriting business, constant interruptions, paperwork, and on and on and on. I know that some of you might be totally against this, but take a minute and think about it. Employees will be happy that the agency cares about them, and the agency will enjoy increased efficiency and production. Employees will work above and beyond what’s expected of them. The return will be overwhelming.
PLAN FOR IT
That’s right, plan for time off. Develop a policy on how to handle the workload for an employee who’s out of the office. Many agencies go nuts when an employee is out for a day. 'We’re short-staffed today and we’re going crazy. We can’t handle the workload.' There always seems to be someone out of the office. Why not plan on it? Set up employee teams. When a team member is out, the other team members can cover for them automatically. Develop procedures for such activities as phone calls and suspense. The agency will run a whole lot smoother when someone is out and give the entire office peace of mind. And don’t forget: Write the policy down.
GIVE TIME OFF
Some agencies are giving employees a half-day off weekly. It’s working, too. Employees are happy, and the agencies are doing very well. Think about it. It’s amazing what can happen when agencies offer very unusual benefits to their employees — especially when no one else is doing it. Employees are surprised with the special benefit and work beyond expectations. Just think about it!
When you hear that an employee’s calling in sick again, think about this article and do something about it. Encourage time off. We all need it. Plan for time off. Don’t panic when an employee calls in sick. Give your blood pressure a rest. Finally, consider giving time off as a reward. Employees will be so surprised that they won’t know what to do but thank you forever. Get rid of that employee guilt trip today. You’ll enjoy increased productivity, efficiency, morale, and most importantly, peace of mind.