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Absenteeism meaning is defined as an employee’s regular absence from work. Habitual non-presence goes beyond what is considered a reasonable number of days away from the workplace for valid reasons like vacations, illness, and family emergencies. Job unhappiness, continuing personal concerns, and chronic physical problems are all possible causes of excessive absence.
Regardless of the primary cause, a long-term pattern of absence can ruin a worker’s image, jeopardizing their long-term employment; however, some types of unpaid leave are protected by the law and cannot be used as a basis for dismissal of the employee.
Absenteeism can be particularly problematic if an employee is absent during peak seasons or when big project deadlines are approaching.
While medical leave, jury duty, and religious holidays are all legally protected reasons for an employee to avoid work, some employees take advantage of these provisions, putting their company at a disadvantage.
Absenteeism has a direct cost for decreased business productivity, which affects sales and profits. Employees who are unable to work cannot contribute to a company’s growth and success.
If other employees cannot perform the job of these missing employees, the company’s workforce will be left with a gap. Even if their task is taken up by other employees, they will have more work to do, which might be exhausting for the employees. The effects of absenteeism have negative sides.
Absenteeism can make significant impact on organizations in various ways, disorganizing workflows and productivity. Here are some key effects:
Minimizing the Productivity: When employees are frequently absent, it leads to decreased output. The workload may either pile up or be distributed among other employees, which can lead to delays in projects and missed deadlines.
Increased Work pressure for Others: Continuous absenteeism places additional pressure on the remaining teammates. Colleagues may need to take on extra responsibilities, leading to fatigue, lower morale, and a fall in overall team performance.
Higher Operational Costs: Organizations often face increased costs due to absenteeism. This may include paying overtime to other employees, hiring contractual workers, or even dealing with errors or mistakes made by overworked employees due to their hectic schedules.