When you’re busy running a salon, it can be difficult to find time to deal with employment issues. We’re running a four-part series to help members understand HR issues that could come up. Here, we discuss staff absence.
Workplace absence can be costly for an employer, and could be a sign of a wider problem, says NHBF director of membership Tina Beaumont-Goddard. ‘It’s important that staff absence is managed effectively. Employers are encouraged to have processes and policies in place to help monitor it. This will help you identify trends and underlying causes, such as wellbeing or performance issues.’
Laura Williams, head of team and solicitor at WorkNest, says that if employees are motivated and have job satisfaction, they’re less likely to forgo work that day.
She explains: ‘If employers are supportive and flexible, they can make people feel more motivated and minimise short-term absence. For example, we’re seeing an increase in the number of people who are off work with a stress-related illness. If a staff member has someone to speak to about how they’re feeling, this may help to keep them at work.’