With today’s labour shortages, absenteeism and retention are top of mind for many employers, including cleaning companies. Along with decreasing operational efficiency, absenteeism can also result in lower and inconsistent service quality, a negative reputation, burnout for employees expected to do extra, and even more turnover.  Janitorial employment is projected to grow by three per cent by 2033, so employers need to focus on strategies to be able to deliver for their customers, even as labour shortages exist.

Identify the cause

Absenteeism can be caused by a number of issues: illness or injury, burnout, lack of motivation or job satisfaction, transportation or scheduling issues, and more. However, if you have not identified the cause, you cannot create targeted solutions. Make the effort to communicate with your employees to determine the root causes of the issues by sending out employee surveys, conducting one-on-one meetings, and encouraging your teams to have open communication and to provide the feedback that you need to make changes and improve your business.

Improve client communication

In periods of absenteeism, it is critical that you communicate openly with your clients. If there is an expected shortage (in the summer, for example, while many people take vacation time), ensure that clients have a clear understanding of the expectations during that time. Send out amended schedules, if necessary, so that there are no misunderstandings and you do not disappoint your customers. Staying in regular contact with your clients can improve your relationship, build trust, and encourage loyalty as the industry continues to change and evolve.

Focus on retention

Keeping employees happy is the key to long-term employment and loyalty. Create policies and practices that encourage retention and lessen turnover and absenteeism:

• Recognize good work with encouragement and support, so that employees are happy and stay motivated.
• Encourage training and development to give employees goals and trust them to take on more responsibility.
• Pay competitively. Today’s economy is tough and rate of pay is an important factor. Research your competition and invest in your employees with competitive wages.
• Schedule with work-life balance in mind wherever possible, creating limits during busy times so you are not left understaffed.
• Solicit employee feedback to keep the teams engaged, involved, and to learn about what they need to succeed at your company.

Absenteeism causes inconsistent operational efficiency, less effective results for your clients, and lower morale for your teams.