A festive flu? Managing fake sickness over Christmas
With extra social engagements, competition for annual leave, massively heightened or reduced workloads and plenty of real sickness all in the mix, absence management over Christmas can be a real challenge for some employers.
What do you do if someone does not show up, claiming they are ill?
At the time, there may be little you can do other than accept it at face value and reorganise your remaining team to cover the shift or workload. It may involve some paid overtime, or time off in lieu (TOIL) – in the future when it is quieter. Frustratingly for some employers, it may mean a late night at work for you.
There are things that you can do beforehand, and after the fact, to manage this frustrating feature of Christmas.
Before anyone phones in sick, you can set expectations. Remind everyone of their obligations – a hangover is not an acceptable reason for sickness absence, and neither is being refused holiday time; if they are to be absent that they must personally phone you to explain what’s wrong each day, and that your process is to have a return to work interview when they come back. This kind of robust process will put off many from faking it.
Longer term, you may also lower the chances of being left in the lurch by fostering goodwill amongst your staff: making it a nice place to work, laying on a good Christmas party, being accommodating where possible to issues that arise for them.
But despite all of these actions, you may get an employee who tries it on. In these cases, don’t just assume. You really need some evidence. This may be uncovered during an assertive return to work interview in which they give themselves away (there is no “pleading the fifth” in UK HR process). Or you may obtain a photo from social media showing they were out partying.
Thinking longer term again, it shows the value of keeping good HR records on things like attendance. Because if you track absence and it shows a pattern of repeated sickness absence, say on 23rd December each year, this in itself may give you the data to act.
If you want to take action, your disciplinary policy will guide you in the steps to take. If you would like expert help, talk to us.
Christmas party pandemonium
The work Christmas party is intended to be a positive event where you can show goodwill to your staff and everyone has fun. As long, that is, that you plan it correctly and follow the HR tips we share every year to set expectations and minimise the chance of trouble.
Of course, sometimes people don’t plan correctly, or certain employees “don’t get the memo”; and festive fun turns into a Christmas crisis. Here are three stories from the Internet to make you smile (or shudder).
Two hundred’s company… three hundred’s a crowd
It is not uncommon for the company to pay the bill, but in this story staff had to pay their own party fee of £50, or £75 if they were bringing a partner.
You’d hope they were in for a good party, but when they arrived at the venue, they discovered that the hotel had double-booked the function room. With the hotel’s contingency plan being to cram 300 people into a room only designed for 200, throw out the pre-orders and serve unordered, undercooked food ad hoc, a chaotic time was had by all… as well as a touch of food poisoning.
Gallingly, the company got their deposit back but the staff received no such refund. And the employer booked the same venue next year after being offered a discounted rate!
It makes him feel sick
We always advise you encouraging your staff to exercise moderation when drinking at the Christmas party, but the same goes for you too.
One employer found himself promising a promotion and a new dress to a female employee after he vomited all over her at the Christmas party. Nothing about that follows HR good practice!
Unjust desserts
As we’ve said, the employer will often fund the Christmas party as a thank you to staff, and this is especially the case when they have already implied that they will do so.
Imagine then, you’ve sat down for a three-course meal, you’re having a good time with colleagues and suddenly (conveniently), just as dessert is served, your boss and benefactor declares some private emergency and ups sticks. That was the fate at one Christmas party, leaving the employees to pay the tab.
Could an employee experience domestic abuse this Christmas?
Sadly, in some households, the change of routine at Christmas is a trigger for domestic violence – mainly but not exclusively directed towards women. More alcohol, being cooped up together, financial pressures are all considered factors.
As an employer concerned for the well-being of staff, you will want to be part of the solution; but it can be hard to know what, or how much, to do.
Unless they come directly to you, spotting signs and then broaching the subject is the start and it can be difficult in itself. Although witnessing harassing behaviour first hand is obvious, other signs may be more equivocal.
Physical signs like bruising and injury could have a range of causes of which domestic abuse is one, and they can be masked. Similarly, changes in behaviour, poor time-keeping, unreliability and a drop in performance are all signs something is amiss… Whether it is domestic violence or another reason, a gentle, private exploratory conversation may help you start to understand.
Give them space to speak further to you when it feels right for them. While if there is an immediate threat to their life you should call the police at once, in less urgent scenarios you may signpost third-party support like specialist charities, make adjustments to their work patterns and be a supportive figure. Be guided by them, and it is a highly sensitive subject so don’t forget to respect their confidentiality.
Off grid
As a general principle, it is not appropriate to contact employees whilst they are on holiday. Is this any different at Christmas when you may have more people away or just a lot going on?
The reason for holiday is to unwind, decompress, switch off completely from work. So even a quick phone call or email query will interrupt this, even if a staff member says it doesn’t. This will have consequences, ranging from not coming back to work rested or, more seriously, being a step towards burnout; to just becoming unsatisfied working for you, eventually leading to retention issues.
So seriously do some countries take this that they have legislated for it, with a right to switch off. Our new government is considering this here, too.
With all that context, Christmas is no different. If you anticipate a particular issue, you could agree a reasonable level of contact. If it is unanticipated you could, for now, just accept the consequences: a one off contact you consider essential to share some important information is unlikely to compromise an employee’s well-being.
Taking Secret Santa too far
An opportunity for some gentle office fun and team bonding or the chance to settle scores and have a joke at someone’s expense?
Most of the time Secret Santa is the former, but it helps to set the ground rules carefully to avoid the potential for trouble. Even the boss can get it wrong: in one case a project manager employee did not see the funny side of being bought Project managing for dummies as her gift from the CEO.
Whoever’s organising should ensure that everyone is invited to join but that people can opt out. It is a good idea to set a modest budget, so people are not significantly put out financially, and remind the team that it is a work event, so work rules apply. If there is a problem, they should let you know as soon as possible.
Is swearing at work acceptable?
In November it was reported that a claimant WON at their employment tribunal after being dismissed for calling a colleague an effing m***.
If ever context is key, this is it. Just about everyone was at it (swearing), including managers. The judge noted that there was a toxic culture and it was lawless with no enforcement of expected workplace norms by leadership. So for one person to be singled out for disciplinary action was unfair.
The trial heard that swearing is more acceptable in the North. But whether that is true or not, maintaining a level of professionalism and creating a culture where swearing is not the norm will likely be best for most businesses.