What Is Attendance Management?

Attendance management is a term used to describe the various managerial tools and strategies that aid in improving the regular attendance of employees. When effective, this type of attendance control helps the employer to avoid experiencing any downtime that may occur due to the absence of an employee, as well as help to prevent overloading other employees with additional tasks in order to avoid those downtimes. A number of tools are used in the process of attendance management, including time clocks, employee maintained time sheets, and even time tracking software that helps to provide a snapshot of employee attendance over a specified period of time.

One of the major goals of attendance management is to reduce the amount of absenteeism that occurs in the workplace. In order to accomplish this goal, human resource personnel will often work closely with managers and supervisors to make sure the work environment and workplace culture is such that employees feel valued for their contributions. This in turn serves to motivate employees to be at work on time, and to be productive during their assigned hours. These incentives can take a wide range of expressions, ranging from verbal support from managers, official recognition for a job well done from owners and executives, and possibly even bonuses or other benefits that reward employees for their diligence.

In order to engage in the task of attendance management, it is necessary to track the attendance record of each employee within the organization. Typically, this involves using some sort of system that makes it possible to know when an employee reports for work and when that employee leaves for the day. The system will also allow for documenting any reasons presented for not being at work. Today, many companies will use software programs to catalog and track absenteeism in general, relating more specific information to each instance. Doing so makes it possible to see if a pattern is developing in which an employee seems to routinely call in sick on certain days, and if some type of counseling or discipline should be taken.

While the goal of attendance management is to correct truancy in the workplace so that neither the company nor its employees are encumbered by absenteeism, the results of the tracking may also indicate that certain employees cannot be salvaged and it is in the best interests of the company and the remaining employees to sever the working relationship. Typically, companies will make a reasonable effort to counsel employees who are frequently absent and attempt to resolve whatever issues are leading to the extreme absenteeism. When those efforts do not result in a change of habit, terminating the employment of the individual is often the most cost-effective and practical solution.