Retailers to expect substantial savings using new absence monitoring service

I can’t make it in today, Iím sick is a phrase that costs retailers millions of pounds each year and according to the CBIís latest absence survey, the retailing and distribution sector has the highest level of non-genuine absence in the UK, with 27% of absence cases perceived to be non-genuine.

The statistics are alarming, but with launch of an innovative employee absence management service from FirstCareô, retailers can now address their concerns about the effects that genuine and non-genuine absence has on their ëbottom lineí.

The service FirstCareô is providing retailers offers employees access to their 24 hour medical centre. Instead of an employee telephoning their line manager when unable to attend work, they contact FirstCareô to report their absence and receive a health consultation from the experienced nursing team. The employeeís manager will then receive an immediate and automatic notification of the absence detailing an estimated return-to-work date based on the employeeís symptoms. In addition to employees benefiting from round the clock access to health advice, the retailer benefits from an improved process for absence notification. The absence data collected is consistent, accurate and complete, and managers have real-time awareness of hotspots and trends using FirstCareís sophisticated web reporting.

This new approach to absence management is proving to be the holy grail for finance directors and HR. With the significant employee and company benefits the service offers, retailers are recognising the FirstCareô approach as fundamental in reducing absence, reducing cost and improving customer service.

According to Alan Aldridge, founder and director of FirstCareô, retailers are beginning to realise that employee absence is a major contributor to their direct and indirect costs of doing business.

All of the retailers that approach us recognise the inherent complexities of managing absence. They understand that to reduce their absence they need to gather accurate and complete data and use this to ensure their absence policies and procedures are effectively reinforced.

ìRetailers are now realising if they can effectively address the absence levels and significantly reduce it, they can reduce their total staff cost by 1% - with thin margins this is a great opportunity to hit the bottom line.î

Commenting on the failings of traditional absence management, Aldridge says: ìTypically, employees phoning in sick do not always get to speak to their line manager and would have to leave either an answerphone message or a colleague would take a message, this often results in delays in arranging staff cover. Improving the retailerís process around people logistics improves a companyís ability to properly staff stores and ensures shelves are stocked, customers are not kept waiting to be served, and scheduled deliveries are made on time.î

Absenteeism probably should be a line item in the budget to give it the management focus it deserves. It’s more than an annoyance; it stops retailers delivering customer service and costs them big bucks.