Background
Whether we're individual contributors or leading a team, we've all encountered colleagues who take frequent leave. Often, their work might not be up to par, and handovers are poorly managed. When something urgent and important comes up, their work suddenly falls onto other team members.
In R&D departments like ours, taking time off is often easier than in other roles. While most colleagues are responsible, we inevitably run into a few who exploit this flexibility with frequent absences. Because I've seen team progress impacted several times by frequently absent members, I've written up an SOP to handle it.
The Impact of Frequent Absences on the Organization
For a team, the biggest impact of a frequently absent member is the difficulty in assigning work. There's always a hesitation. When an urgent and important task arises, it's impossible to predict when they can deliver, so the work can't be assigned to them.
I've even seen colleagues use frequent leave as a way to avoid important tasks, shifting complex work to others. This can lead to a "broken windows effect" on the team, where last-minute and frequent absences become the norm for everyone.
Analyzing the Problem
Some companies offer paid sick leave benefits that are more generous than the Labor Standards Act requires. Most people only take this leave when they genuinely need it, but a few treat sick leave like extra PTO. Once paid sick leave is exhausted, it becomes half-pay sick leave, which can be an opportunistic loophole.
If a colleague takes leave but still gets their work done properly, it might not cause much of a stir. However, the issue often arises when their work quality also suffers. We can't rule out exceptional circumstances, though. It's still necessary to investigate further to clarify the reasons for the frequent absences. Perhaps there's a sensitive issue they're dealing with. If there's a valid reason, we might be able to make arrangements to minimize the impact of their leave on both the organization and the employee.
In response to these cases, I've come up with a few strategies
1. First, pull the data on the individual's leave frequency and patterns
You can start by understanding and tallying their personal and sick leave.
2. Communicate to understand the real reason for the absences
You could say something like: "I've noticed you've been taking leave a bit frequently lately. Is everything okay with your health? Is there anything I can help with? Your absences seem to have a pattern to them. Is there a particular reason? Is there any way I can support you?"
3. If doubts remain after the conversation
For colleagues who are frequently absent, you can require them to provide a doctor's note for sick leave afterward. Any planned leave should be requested in advance to facilitate work scheduling for the team.
4. Conduct a performance review meeting
For members whose absences are impacting team progress, you can conduct a work review. Based on their work efficiency and quality, you can start with a verbal warning. If the issue persists, consider putting them on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).
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