In South Africa, statistics on workplace absenteeism are far more readily available than on the rest of the continent and because of this it can be prioritised here far more than in the rest of Africa. If information is not readily available elsewhere on the rest of the continent, how are organisations to manage the problem at micro level?
Late in 2014, Occupational Care South Africa and Statistics South Africa released the shock statistic that the country was losing R16-billion a year to absenteeism. Around 15% of employees were absent on any given day. Meanwhile on the continent, the greatest problem is that of teacher absenteeism. This impacts education, which in turn impacts the long-term productivity of the workforce. Across all professions, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria have taken their toll on productivity.
Global certifier the Top Employers Institute has found that multinational companies with operations throughout Africa have dramatically reduced their absenteeism rates through targeting employee wellbeing, and that there is a correlation between offering such employee benefits and a lower rate of absenteeism. Over the past two years, in fact, the rate of absenteeism noted in the Top Employers Africa Certification Programme’s research was significantly lower than the average. In 2014, the average absenteeism rate for all Top Employers was 5%. In 2015, it dropped to 3%.
“Wellbeing is vital for sustained high performance, productivity, and engagement,” says James Hu, talent manager at Unilever. “A 2014 study by the Energy Project and Harvard Business Review found that the way people feel at work profoundly influences the way they perform. Wellbeing also increases retention and reduces absenteeism: direct reports are more likely to stay if they have leaders who role-model sustainable working.”
In view of this, Unilever rolled out its new “Thrive” wellbeing model globally in 2015 as a holistic and consolidated framework covering physical, mental, emotional and purposeful wellbeing. It is no secret that lowering absenteeism boosts productivity, but increasing wellbeing improves productivity in many other ways as well. Employees eating a healthy diet are 25% more likely to have higher job performance, reveals research from the Health Enhancement Research Organisation, Brigham Young University and the Center for Health Research at Healthways. Absenteeism is not only caused by physical sickness, however. Forbes.com notes that a primary driver of absenteeism is childcare and eldercare, as well as depression, disengagement and burnout.
So how are savvy companies handling this? Africa’s 2016 Top Employers have prioritised employee wellbeing and increased engagement proactively. According to the Top Employers Institute, a total of 81% of Certified Top Employers have defined an organisation-wide total wellbeing programme, while 75% of Top Employers have employee groups that have been trained to implement specific wellbeing practices throughout the organisation. Crucially, the vast majority of Top Employers also evaluate the impact and effectiveness of their wellbeing programmes on a regular basis.
The Top Employers Institute confirms that on average 20% of employees within a certified organisation have access to compressed working hours, 51% have access to flexitime working, 24% of employees have access to part-time working, 28% have access to taking a sabbatical, 60% have access to time off in lieu, 38% have access to working from home, and nearly 40% have access to reduced work travel expenses.
As far as health goes, the majority of Top Employers have included programmes such as: stress management, time management, personal support, employee assistance, occupational health, burnout recovery, an in-house doctor and/or occupational health professional, sports facilities and/or gym membership subsidies, a health screening programme, smoking cessation programmes and weight management/ nutritional programmes. Some even offer rewards for achieving certain health goals.
For employers using such programmes, this approach has undoubtedly paid off. “Enabling wellbeing provides competitive advantage due to its impact on our employer brand and the role that plays in attracting and retaining the very best talent,” says Hu. But, he adds, once the talent is there, a high level of wellbeing also allows them to perform at their peak. “Holistic wellbeing enables each individual at Unilever to realise their own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and make the contribution they want to make both at work and at home.”
Absenteeism is possibly the single most expensive problem affecting organisations locally and internationally, so it’s worth investing in a solution that works. It’s not a short-term game, and it does provide employers — and employees — with lasting benefits.
Samantha Crous is the regional director for Africa at the Top Employers Institute