Her Magazine is New Zealand’s only women’s business lifestyle magazine! Her Magazine highlights the achievements of successful and rising New Zealand businesswomen. Her Magazine encourages a healthy work/life balance.
Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/108312
M AS TE R C L ASS :absence at work ABSENCE MAKES THE BOSS MORE FRUSTRATED THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS people take off from work these days, such as supporting ailing family members, social pressure to attend events and sports with children, personal choices to create a balance towards more home life instead of work life, and other such modern day pressures. With New Zealand's small business dominance and thus, small employee numbers, absence of any type or period of time, can be difficult to juggle with the demands of delivery to customers. As business owners, managers and leaders, we can find the constant juggling of priorities difficult when trying to balance the financial targets. Even large organisations feel the pressure of absences when they are unplanned, but they can often absorb the absence easier. There have also been pressures in the general economic environment to achieve more with less, and with absences added into the mix, this stretches resources further, and puts pressure on managers and team members to deliver. The cost of absence for a business can be significant, from as little as the cost of their day in a non-critical role, to around 30% of payroll for the total cost of administering and covering their leave; particularly for long term, unplanned leave. It is a well founded pre-conceived idea that if people are in the office, there is work being done. This is now being challenged as a model by society and employees who require more flexibility, reflecting a more modern approach to working. Just as employers are changing the way they do business, we no longer have a society where mum is at home looking after the kids, and aging parents; more and more, this responsibility is being shared and therefore all staff may need to take time out of their working life in this way. This presenteeism approach in New Zealand that expects employees to be in attendance during what has been known as normal working hours is now proving limiting for both sides of the equation. Employees are changing their expectations (and legislation is starting to support) to a more flexible approach to working, and employers may need to take heed; the good news is there can be some upside to a changed approach if the working environment is set up well. Whilst there is some empathy by employers with this increased desire or necessity, the business must balance their own needs with those of the employee. Having time off certainly provides the employee the peace of 56 | www.h e rmagaz i n e . c o. n z mind that they can manage their personal needs without needing to balance their work commitments too, and it can often increase their loyalty to the employer. The employer on the other hand needs to find ways to provide for increased flexible working or to put contingencies in place in a manner that continues to deliver the outcomes they aspire and have committed to. New Zealand has a healthy population; we are expected to live, on average, until we are 80. We have fewer deaths than births, and our median age is late 30's. All these statistics point to an ever increasing aging population. This means that, alongside the 'brain drain' that is being experienced, we will continue to have less people able to look after the aging population that is building steadily, and thus even more pressure will be put on those left with the problem. SO, HOW CAN WE DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES AND MANAGE EXPECTATIONS ON BOTH SIDES? AT THEIR CORE, THE SOLUTIONS RELY ON TRUST, COLLABORATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY. The first approach is easy – have an open conversation with your employee about their absence – whether it be short or long term, planned or unplanned, to make sure you understand the extent of their potential leave; this will encourage a mutually agreeable outcome – don't avoid what you might perceive as a confrontational discussion. Often, when addressed, the employee can bring a solution to the table that hasn't been considered before; or they may not have understood the full extent of your problem as they are wrapped up in their TIME OFF WORK