Human Resources Issues for Senior Management
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/350318
28 Executive Series Digest hrreporter.com EMPLOYMENT LAW E xecutives and senior man- agement expend a great deal of time and eff ort plan- ning for the success of their businesses. In the majority of cases, the key to success is having a highly engaged workforce supported and led by talented and trusted leaders. As organizations grow, they increasingly rely upon metrics to measure performance and identify opportunities for improve- ment. ere is no better metric that aligns with performance and serves as an early warning sign of impending trouble than the rate of absenteeism at the workplace. How- ever, too o en, addressing and measuring employee absenteeism is not a part of senior management's business plan. It should be. Sobering statistics According to the Conference Board of Canada, absenteeism in the workplace costs the Canadian economy at least $7.4 billion each year in direct costs. at fi g- ure balloons to $37 billion when indirect costs, such as lost productivity or the cost of replacement workers, are factored in. According to the Mental Health Com- mission of Canada, mental health issues alone account for about 30 per cent of short- and long-term disability claims in Canada, resulting in a total economic burden relating to mental illnesses in the workplace of a staggering $20 billion. e root causes of workplace absen- teeism are varied and include: •bona fi de employee illness and disability (physical and mental) •ineff ective leadership •organizational culture •poor attendance management policies and practices. Controlling absenteeism With strategic planning and implementa- tion, the negative consequences associ- ated with absenteeism at the workplace can be managed and, ultimately, reduced. However, senior management should not be under the misapprehension that work- place absenteeism is exclusively an HR issue. It's an organizational and strategic C-suite should watch absenteeism figures closely – it's an early warning sign of trouble. By Carissa Tanzola and Shana French EMPTY DESKS, LOST PROFITS