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Proactive Absence Management (PAM)™

Proactive Absence Management (PAM)™

Productivity losses due to employee absence can be considerable, and studies suggest that the average British worker is responsible for the loss of over £500 annually (source: CIPD). Unreasonable absences can also derail carefully scheduled projects, causing major problems with both the morale of your workforce and the quality of your company’s output negatively affected.

Our PAM™ service combines expertise from across the Loch Associates Group to give you practical advice on how to manage and reduce both short and long-term absences. Our team of dedicated HR Medical and Support Specialists can help to uncover the root cause of any absence and ensure that employees are managed and supported more effectively.

“It is been a pleasure to work with Loch Associates Group. The team are always prompt in responding to enquiries clearly have extensive knowledge within the industry. 

The reports are comprehensive and have assisted significantly with managing very difficult situations with varying complexities in both mental and physical health cases.” 

HR Advisor, Facilities Management Company

Managing short-term absence

It’s important to understand that there can be a variety of reasons for short term absences, ranging from genuine sickness to suspected misconduct. Effective absence management should support the legitimate needs of employees, while providing clear and consistent procedures in the event of any unauthorised short term absence. 

Our HR Consultants and Medical Specialists can assist with:

● Appraising your HR policies, procedures and documentation

● Recording, tracking and monitoring employee absence

● Determining if absence is genuine

● Having conversations with employees to discuss their absence

● Providing guidance for return to work meetings

● Conducting return to work meetings on your behalf

● Provide training on effective absence management

It’s also important to consider that frequent short-term absences may also be influenced by additional factors throughout the workplace. For example, excessive workloads and any accompanying stress, problematic working relationships and organisational change can all impact the wellbeing and subsequent attendance rates of your employees. We can work in partnership with Loch Health to identify and deliver appropriate wellbeing solutions for your business.

By giving employees the opportunity to raise any concerns or difficulties they may be facing, effective strategies and support can be put in place. In certain circumstances, however, escalation procedures may also be required if attendance rates do not improve and we can advise you on these options.

Managing long-term absence

Studies show that after only a few weeks’ absence, almost one in five employees will stay off work indefinitely and eventually leave their job (source: HSE). Early communication is often essential in mitigating some of these risks, determining the extent of any sickness, what level of support is required, and if any absence is in fact genuine. 

Managing long-term absence can be a challenge for everyone concerned, often requiring managers to have the understanding, skill and capacity to implement HR policies in delicate circumstances. Even with the best intentions, managers may not have the necessary experience and interpersonal skills to deal with the potential complexities of long-term absence. 

Our HR Medical Specialists are experts in understanding complex medical conditions including mental health issues and terminal illnesses and can manage the difficult conversations your managers may not know how to handle. 

Our HR Medical Specialists can assist with:

● Determining if any absence is genuine

● Contacting an employee to discuss their health 

● Liaising with GPs and other medical specialists

● Providing reports with practical advice and recommendations

● Training or guidance for return to work meetings

● Conducting return to work meetings on your behalf

Through guidance, advice and training, our PAM™ service can not only help to determine the individual needs of employees but will also facilitate a return to work as soon as possible and reduce the disruption to your business.

Should the absence relate to a disability, you are legally obligated to consider making reasonable adjustments for your employee to return to work. In this situation we can advise on your responsibilities and discuss strategies that will help employees return to work as valued members of the team.

“The seamless service between the teams in the Group has proved invaluable to us when we needed support with urgent, sensitive matters.  The response was appropriate, professional and timely – we could not have asked for more.” Chairman, Board of Trustees

“Pam and her team are always on hand to expertly advise us on any employment law issues we have. The speed of their service levels combined with high quality advice always exceeds our expectations.”  Operations Director, Professional Services

“Your approach is one of collaboration, taking your time to understand the issues, our position, and then working proactively with us in a practical manner”  
FD, Architecture Firm

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