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AbsenceHR practiceLetters

Technology improves levels of absence too

by Personnel Today 14 Jun 2005
by Personnel Today 14 Jun 2005

Hamish Davidson (Personnel Today, 31 May) quite rightly pointed out the impact that improved absence data can have on efficiency in public services. But better computerised HR systems and data warehousing can also make a difference.

At Hertfordshire County Council, our absence rates were running at 8.3 days per employee. This was relatively low compared with the public sector average of 10.7 days, and close to the private sector average of 7.8 days.

However, as a result of the introduction of an improved HR data system and a positive attendance management programme, over the past 12 months we have been able to reduce this figure to 8.0 days, saving the business a further 25,000 in the first year alone.

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So, while I agree with Digby Jones’s call for improvements in managing sickness absence in the public sector, government intervention isn’t necessarily the answer.

Gillian Hibberd
Assistant HR director
Hertfordshire County Council

Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

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Personnel Today
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