Be Careful How you Investigate Employees; Overcoming the Stress of Absenteeism

Investigation can be stressful for the employee and the employer.

Sick leave abuse and poor performance are the two significant pitfalls often faced by employers. The frustration with unreliable employees is justified in some cases but cannot always be resolved via a hasty disciplinary or dismissal.

There is no doubt absenteeism can leave the workforce overstretched and overworked, and in some cases where there are limited resources, it can lead to burnout. Let’s not forget how other team members must fill the gaps or the additional cost incurred by employers. However, a common mistake is to be so forward due to apparent team malfunction and the non-delivery from the concerned employee that it leads to disciplinary proceedings. In any case, a proper investigation has to be conducted.

We are often contacted by employers who have reached a boiling point with an employee who has abused their sick leave, terminated the relationship and want to put in place systems that prevent these types of costly processes from reoccurring. In the same way, we have spoken to employees who feel their sick leave should be used whole without worrying about being investigated by their employers. An employee described their inability to leave the house for domestic purposes for fear of being seen as highly stressful.

THE WAY FORWARD

There has to be clarity from the onset that helps both parties close the widening disconnect. This is important for workplace well-being and the productivity it can yield. Employers cannot afford just to be reactive. Proactivity, in this case, holds more significance and provides a more precise roadmap for dealing with difficult situations. To investigate employees with a full-blown “Miss Marple Method” risks aggravating the process. In one instance, the employers were so desperate they tried building a case against an employee with events that had nothing to do with his absence. The truth is they had allowed the employee’s behaviour to go unchallenged for a certain period, and it became tough to evidence foul play.

Employers certainly do not want the unwelcome publicity of unfair dismissal, nor do employees wish to put their job on the line. But, how far should you go to investigate an employee?

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