From missed deadlines to rescheduled meetings to overwhelmed employees, unplanned absences can drag down workplace productivity by as much as a third. The effects of workers regularly missing work include low morale, frustrated clients, and a unsteady bottom line. So, what’s behind the rise in employee absenteeism, and why’s it happening now? We look at the five top drivers.

Physical health

Illness, injury, and medical appointments are the most reported reasons for missing work. At the same time, absences related to chronic health complaints like diabetes or obesity cost US employers more than $36 billion a year. And thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, more workers called in sick in 2020 than at any time in two decades, with an average of 1.5 million people a month missing work, at a cost that will take decades to make up.

Mental health

As employees grapple with lives altered by the pandemic, huge swathes feel burnt out or struggle with their mental health. Depression and anxiety cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion each year in lost productivity. Often workplace mental health concerns can be tied to poor health and safety, inadequate communication, poor leadership, or a lack of control over one’s work.

Childcare and eldercare

Managing work while raising kids or looking after older loved ones has always been the ultimate balancing act. After the start of the pandemic, childcare-related absences soared to 250% of the 20-year average. Millions of Americans (mostly women) called out of work or even left the workforce entirely to look after children or relatives at home. Many experts point to a lack of inclusion in the workplace as an often-overlooked absenteeism driver.

Transportation

Bad weather, car problems, late buses. A long commute increases the risk of absenteeism and poor productivity, especially among low-income workers and disadvantaged groups. Over 40% of American adults would not be able to cover an emergency car repair bill of $400. In fact, employees themselves can take a financial hit from absenteeism, especially if they’re unsalaried or depend on tips or commissions. The problem can compound and leave many without the means to travel to work.

Bullying and harassment

As many as 30% of Americans have been bullied at one point or another in the workplace. Overt or subtle, bullying and harassment make work intolerable for employees, pushing many to call in sick. In addition to uncontrolled absenteeism, this leads to long-term personal consequences for the victim, fiscal consequences for the company, and adverse effects on non-target coworkers.

If you’re concerned that absenteeism becoming a problem for your business, we can help you tailor your HR practices to better support you and your workforce.

When you partner with Adecco, we’ll help you get a handle these challenges and build an adaptive, resilient workforce strategy. We can help you evaluate your current flexibility provisions, and consult with you on new, attendance-boosting accommodations, employee transportation, wellbeing support, and inclusion. You’ll get access to our deep candidate pipeline, innovative staffing tools, and resources to help you improve retention.

From white papers to case studies to research papers, we have a wealth of insight on the issues surrounding absenteeism. Also: read our tips on keeping your pandemic-weary workforce energized, tackling ‘ghosting coasting,’ and how to manage remote teams effectively.

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Getting formerly incarcerated individuals back into the workforce is one of the few issues with bipartisan support in our country. Pathways to meaningful work give returning citizens a chance to rebuild their lives, provide for their families, and break the cycle of recidivism. Yet, longstanding stigma means these job seekers face many hurdles to finding employment, even at a time when the US economy has a record 10 million job vacancies. And with 70 million Americans having criminal records (around the same number that holds college degrees) this exclusion is exacerbating our labor crisis and hindering our economic recovery.

The research is clear: employers say that workers with criminal records perform just as well as – or better – than other employees. Many businesses are keen to work with ‘justice-involved’ individuals but don’t know where to start (A recent American Staffing Association webinar examined the issue closely).

At Adecco, we believe there’s a job for everyone. We mine untapped talent pools to match talented people with well-paid, purposeful jobs. Below, learn three steps you can take on your way to becoming a second-chance employer:

Assess applicants on skills

Start by normalizing hiring people with records. Blanket ‘no felons’ policies mean lifelong discrimination against people with prior convictions and lock out great talent. Ask yourself: “Will this particular record impact this candidate’s ability to do this role?” “Are we putting up unnecessary barriers?” Of course, some background checks are vital, from healthcare to early education, to pharmaceuticals, and almost 90% of employers conduct them. But excluding a qualified candidate from, say, a hard-to-fill auto parts assembly vacancy because of a decades-old teenage drug offense can run counter to your business interests. Working with a Adecco can expedite recruitment, screening, and verification and enhance your fill rates, speed-to-hire, and even retention numbers.

Give a hand up

These job seekers face complex problems that make it harder to land work, but employers can make a huge difference. Consider setting up an employee transportation program. Invest in making sure your candidates have the right-sized work clothes ready for their first day. Develop relationships with parole officers, community partnership organizations, and other re-entry agencies. (Many of these groups help candidates with common problems like missing ID papers, unstable housing issues, and set-up funds.) These efforts aren’t necessarily costly, and many government and local grants exist to help employers and candidates with the cost of getting back to work. Check out the Labor Department’s grants page to find vetted community partners, or talk to us for advice tailored to your industry. And with the Adecco Aspire Academy, free upskilling and reskilling qualifications set second-chance hires up for long-term employment success.

Start small

For many business leaders, upending decades-old ‘no felons’ policies can feel fraught with risk, a leap into the unknown. Why not start small and get hands-on experience working with just one or two candidates? Addressing stigmas around second-chance hiring can lead to more positive and inclusive workplaces and enhance your purpose as an organization. More than 650,000 ex-offenders are released from American prisons every year, half your labor force might come from the justice-involved community before you know it; or from overlapping populations like our veterans and the homeless. Don’t underestimate how powerful it can be to give one overlooked person a break. And with peak hiring season just around the corner – and several industries facing wage inflation and unprecedented hiring and retention challenges – what better time to start than now?

In recent years, many of our clients have evolved their hiring practices to include individuals with criminal histories, while addressing their toughest staffing challenges. So, what’s stopping you?

Learn more about how we help American businesses navigate today’s tricky labor environment, especially during peak season. And for more insights on the complex, unfolding issues shaping our working world take a look at our freshly launched research Resetting Normal: Defining The New Era Of Work.

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