Why you need this absence policy template
Managing absence should be a strategic part of your HR function. Your absence policy is both the distillation of this strategy, and your primary method of communicating it to your employees.
As such, an absence policy should be written with care. It should not only communicate the facts to your employees, but do so in a compassionate and thoughtful way on a subject that may be sensitive. Moreover, the template needs to be watertight, creating an objective (and legally compliant) set of guidelines for a fair, professional, and practical working environment.
Luckily, our HR Policy Team are the experts in this very subject. They’ve put this template together for you to ensure you’re touching on all the key points to your employees, and guiding you through best practice processes, whilst staying lawful and fair.
About this template
This nine-page Word document is designed to be a full-fledged absence policy you can download, put on your company letterhead, and edit to suit your business.
This absence policy helps your employees – and their managers – understand what needs to happen when someone can’t come to work because of illness or an injury for a short or long-term period.
This policy isn’t just a way of giving warnings. It helps you to make sure you have a healthy, productive workforce. It’s also designed to help you and your colleagues do the right thing where high absence levels impact on your organisation and customers.
The policy template contains:
- General absence principles
- An overview of an absence procedure
- The return-to-work interview process
- The disciplinary process and stages
- What to do about long-term absence
- Supporting with disability
- When medical evidence is needed
- The appeal process
- What to do about holidays and SSP
Why you need to manage absence
There are many occasions when it’s necessary and beneficial for your employees to take time off when they need it, whether that’s due to illness, caring responsibilities, or unexpected circumstances. However, regular attendance for work is important for meeting customer needs.
Absence can affect:
- The customer experience
- The workload of fellow team members
- Morale
- Efficiency and performance
We hope this absence policy will help you to get a better handle on absence for the benefit of your employees and business.
Looking for more absence support?
Check out our ultimate guide to absence here.
