Every absence comes with a direct financial burden: paying employees for hours they don’t work, hiring temporary replacements, or simply absorbing the loss in productivity. But there’s also a wider impact—lost revenue, disrupted workflows, and reduced service levels.

Beyond the workplace, absences contribute to larger economic challenges. A reduction in available labour means lower business output, delayed services, and missed opportunities for economic growth. In fact, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates that sickness-related absence, costs the UK economy between £38 billion and £56 billion in lost productivity due to sickness absence per year.

Before the pandemic, presenteeism—employees coming to work while ill—was a growing concern. While it may have seemed beneficial in the short term, sick employees often struggled with productivity, made costly mistakes, and spread illness to colleagues, leading to even higher absence rates.

One silver lining of the pandemic is that businesses now recognise the long-term costs of presenteeism. Employees are more likely to stay home when ill, protecting their co-workers and improving overall workforce health. However, this shift has also resulted in an increase in reported absences—making effective absence management more critical than ever.

Managing absence isn’t just about reducing costs—it’s about maintaining operational efficiency and ensuring employees are supported. The first step is understanding the scale of the problem:

• If a single absence can cost thousands (or even millions if a days production is disrupted) in lost revenue, a robust replacement policy is essential.
• If your business already overstaffs to cover holidays, a more flexible approach may be appropriate.

Effective absence management strategies differ based on industry, workforce structure, and skill level. For instance:

• Low-skilled roles may be covered by agency workers or managers stepping in temporarily.
• High-impact roles (such as health and safety officers) require proactive planning—businesses may train multiple employees in these critical roles to ensure coverage.

This leads to a crucial question: Is your business properly equipped to handle absences? If not, it’s time to take action.

At our Managing Shift Patterns Workshop workshop, you’ll gain the tools to tackle absence-related challenges head-on. Whether you’re an HR professional, manager, or operations coordinator, this practical, in-person course will equip you with proven strategies to optimise your workforce, reduce absenteeism costs, and ensure seamless operations.

📅 Date: 18th June 2025 📍 Venue: Clermont Hotel, Charing Cross, London ⏰ Time: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

What you’ll learn: ✅ Holiday & absence management strategies for continuous operations ✅ Effective coping mechanisms for covering unexpected staff shortages ✅ Solutions for shift management challenges to improve efficiency ✅ How to mitigate fatigue & boost productivity in shift-based work environments

Absence is inevitable—but mismanaging it is avoidable. Secure your spot now and take control of your workforce efficiency!