Difficult yet to know what end take the problem

Taboo subject in most companies, absenteeism is no less a real handicap. For managers of proximity, which must meet the more urgent with the means to the edge, often with great of acting or having recourse to overtime; and to the directors of human resources, who see their budget provident and health increase from year to year. These are the absences repetitive short, non-predictable by definition, which are more difficult to manage; and the most expensive. The financial dimension is also part of the triggers in the recent taking of awareness of the problem. With end to end the payment of the employer waiting period (the first three days of absence only are not supported by the social security), the complement of salary to diem, the remuneration of the person alternate, and management and training costs, leads to large amounts that eventually make more scrupulous the HRD. On the only cases of less than three days, the HRC Mercer Human resources consulting firm calculated that each year, it is about 21 million days which are fully dependent companies, either a total cost estimated at 3.9 billion.

Making numbers meaningful

This will add significant indirect costs: costs of throughout, penalties for delay in delivery, time spent by the manager to manage the induced disorganization, dissatisfaction of customers. The list is still long and begins to react with some companies. Difficult yet to know what end take the problem. "Absenteeism is a catch-all indicator where both the sickness, maternity leave, trade union leave." "The disease itself judgment mask absences that have little to do with the disease", said Pascal Gallois, associated covenants Council Cabinet. Demotivation, relational problem with his manager, working atmosphere degraded in a team: in these cases, the absence is more a form of discomfort to a real pathology.

First job is to make numbers meaningful: the age of employees has an impact Is the rate higher in a particular service Are there periods where the rate tends to increase "In some companies whose activity is very cyclical, as chocolate, absenteeism increases during peak periods, at Christmas and Easter." It can be assumed that the non-présence of employees is related to increased commercial pressure which may be poorly framed or poorly organized. "Absenteeism of very short duration, where it is repetitive, is often linked to a problem of management", analysis Eric Alonso the Ineum Consulting firm. A finding that Vincent Merle, Director of the prospective social in Veolia Environnement, due to the recent evolution of management: "new ways of managing team suggests more autonomy collaborators". It is positive but it is also a source of further stress that partly explains the increase in absenteeism.

Return from absence interviews

In these cases, the control of the disease by a third party decisions is not highly effective, in any case not in the long term, "because it only reinforces the sense of witch-hunt and degraded more the working atmosphere", said Pascal Gallois. Often more relevant and easier to carry out the interviews back to lack with the manager direct can refocus some people or to better understand their difficulties. In Webhelp (2,500 employees), whose principal activity is the online technical support for customers of Internet service providers, these interviews were systematized and put in writing. They have enabled a problem specific to certain employees: "On our site of Caen, opened in November 2005, we hired among others former long-term unemployed who find it difficult to return to a regular and sustained activity." "As a result, they tend to be absent more often", reflects Hélène Louçano-Jeugnet, the HRD. These employees are in need of special support on the part of their coaching, "but some young managers do not always account for the impact of absenteeism and the role they have to play at this level." However, in our activity, a lost call is never caught up. "An absence represents a direct loss of turnover," continues the HRD. To make them aware of the problem and encourage them to interact more with their collaborators, managers premium is calculated partly on the rate of absence (and delays) of their teams. Each semester goals include an absenteeism rate not exceeding.

Act on multiple levels

To be accepted, these efforts sought proximity managers must be shared, because the employer also has its share of responsibility, especially on the improvement of working conditions. In Webhelp, where the téléconseillers spend most of their day on the phone and front of a screen, every detail of the work environment was thought: flat screens for less tire the eyes, carpets that absorb sound, comfortable seats and a room for breaks. Same concern in retailer Carrefour (75,000 employees, 80 of employees) where the absenteeism rate rose from 7.6 in 2004 to 6.9 end of June 2006. "For the weighing of the fruit and vegetables, we have equipped the posts of chairs which limit back." "The cashiers have also"hand showers"flexible to facilitate the seizure of codes - bars and avoid having to move heavy products in all directions", says Muriel Bolteau responsible for the management. Details of course, but what prevent future illnesses.

To complete the device, Carrefour is also attached to review its human resources policy. "Cannot reduce absenteeism to a single cause, you need to know to act on several levels, including on the recognition and career progression," insists Muriel Bolteau. Annual evaluation interviews, fallen into disuse in recent years for employees, were handed over to the order of the day. Bridges between trades have been built to facilitate the passage of the Fund to the RADIUS for example, or on functions of coaching changes. EUR 42 million (or 3 of payroll) were allocated to training in 2005 to develop the skills of employees and a scholarship to employment is accessible to all levels of positions.

Assistance to career development and accountability of the employees are also part of the priorities shown by Catherine Chouard, HRD group Elior (56.000 employees, 12,000 points of sale), more than the financial recognition. "The principle of the premiums of presenteeism is shocking." Being present on the workstation is the base minimum. On the other hand, allow more flexibility to employees in the distribution of their schedules and their workload can be a good solution to enable them to better manage their personal constraints.

Commercial argument

It is on Highway sites where Elior restaurants the Ark are implanted. Open twenty-four hours twenty-four and three hundred and sixty-five days a year, these sites need a variable number of people following the hours of the day. Rather than impose a time use to everyone, members of each team are free, subject to that site can function normally, to distribute their hours of presence as they see fit. Employees without children can choose to work late in the evening or at night, the other rather the morning or during the day, "the core of deal teams with diverse skills and enough additional profiles, men, women, students, so they do not have the same requirements at the same time", specific HRD.

Some groups have even made their absenteeism down a commercial argument. Geodis, company of logistics and transport including absenteeism decreased by 8 between 2002 and 2005 with the combined efforts of HRD and managers of land, is part. "Initially, we have worked on the satisfaction of the employees and the recognition of their work." Snowball effect, the impact has been very positive on the satisfaction of the clients themselves. As in calls for tender, our customers look closely our turnover, the number of days of a strike or absenteeism. "For them, this is part of the quality of service," concluded Jean-Louis Vincent HRD France.