Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

AbsenceHR practice

Absence management: Line managers play key role in reducing absence

by Nadia Williams 30 Apr 2008
by Nadia Williams 30 Apr 2008

Training line managers in absence management reaps rewards for employers, according to research by Personnel Today’s sister publication Employment Review.

The survey of 90 employers, with a combined workforce of more than 300,000 people, shows that many believe line managers are integral to the successful management of absence. And they seek to gain their buy-in, build their confidence, and equip them with the skills to do it.

Three-quarters of employers (74%) believe absence rates have fallen as a result of the training. And they also believe that line managers gained greater confidence in tackling absence-related issues took the initiative rather than reacting to problems and were more conscientious about recording absences.

Most employers (71%) arrange absence management training for all line managers with people management responsibilities. The remaining three in 10 (29%) do so selectively.

The majority (81%) prefer to provide their absence management training as self-contained courses, rather than as part of a broader training and development programme. But those that have made it compulsory are more likely to see results. Nine in 10 (89%) employers with compulsory training said it had helped to reduce absence rates, compared with 56% of those where training is optional.

Almost all employers (98%) include the use of return-to-work interviews in their absence management courses. Those surveyed found them to be one of the most effective measures in terms of improving absence management. However, they also recognised line managers’ reluctance to take on this task.

Nearly all absence management courses (97%) ensure that the organisation’s absence policy is clearly explained. And nearly nine in 10 (85%) train line managers in recording and monitoring absences. This includes gathering and analysing data, understanding the data, identifying trends and patterns, and understanding absence rates.

Employers use an average of three different means of delivering training to line managers, according to the findings. It is most likely to be delivered in a group setting (97%), and activities include discussions (60%) and role plays (47%).

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

For more information, go to XpertHR.

Nadia Williams

previous post
Flexible working: part-time, full potential?
next post
E-learning stuck in the slow

You may also like

Cancer carers feel pressure to return to work...

13 May 2025

Top 10 HR questions April 2025: increases to...

2 May 2025

Employers struggling to manage rising levels of sickness...

7 Apr 2025

Top 10 HR questions March 2025: Carrying over...

2 Apr 2025

What do HR specialists enjoy most about their...

21 Mar 2025

King’s College London get top marks for HR...

20 Nov 2024

Personnel Today Awards 2024: The shortlists in full

13 Nov 2024

Charities urge ministers to increase statutory sick pay

21 Oct 2024

CIPD launches HR support pilot scheme for SMEs

7 Oct 2024

Are managers equipped to handle workplace conflict?

24 Sep 2024

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+