Let's face it, managing sick leave can sometimes feel like you’re trying to herd cats. You've got employees needing time off, payroll to sort, and then there's the whole keeping track of everything headache. That's where absence management systems swoop in to save the day. Think of it as your digital assistant for all things absence-related.
Not only does it help you keep a clear record of who's out and when, but it also gives you those crucial insights into your team's overall wellbeing. An absence management solution helps you track staff sickness, gives you info on sick leave trends, and informs the right people if someone’s going to be off work. And because sick leave can affect payroll, the best sick leave apps will allow you to export sick leave data to finance and HR.
No more scrambling for information when it's time to run the numbers. But, it's not just about the numbers. It's about creating a smooth, transparent, and dare we say, stress-free process for everyone involved. So, let's have a look at how a good sick leave app can transform your absence management.
Considerations for Tracking Sick Leave
As we’ve already mentioned, managing sick leave isn’t exactly a straightforward process. There are a few variables that can put a spanner in the works and leave you with a headache when it comes to tracking sick leave. For example:
- Sick leave isn’t planned out in advance like a holiday. Yes, you’ll have times where an employee knows they have surgery or a medical appointment coming up, but most of the time, sick notices are last-minute.
For plenty of businesses, the de facto norm is getting a late-night/early-morning text from an employee who says they can’t make it in because they have a fever or don’t feel well. But this isn’t ideal for anyone.
Your sick employee has to get hold of you, which adds stress and hassle to their list of symptoms. And then you’re personally responsible for making sure sick leave is properly tracked and alerting everyone on your team.
- Your employee may need to provide documentation. For example, in the UK, employees are required to show their employer a sick note (officially called a ‘fit note’) if they’ve been out sick for five consecutive days.
- You need to separate paid sick leave from unpaid sick leave. Just because someone’s taking a sick day doesn’t mean it’s automatically paid. Some policies work with accruals (where sick leave allowance builds up over the year) and sometimes an employee will run out of paid sick leave.
Either way, your payroll department needs to work out whether that sick leave is paid or unpaid.
So, you've got unpredictability, communication challenges, paperwork, and payroll complexities. It's safe to say that manual tracking methods can quickly become overwhelming. Have you ever found yourself wishing for a smoother, more efficient way to manage these scenarios? We bet you have.
That's exactly why we're here. We want to show you how a modern approach can turn your absence management from potential headaches into a seamless, stress-free process. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look at the options that you have when it comes to managing absence.
Different options for absence management
So, let’s paint the picture. You’re confronted with unique challenges as outlined above. Now, let's explore the tools you can use to tackle these challenges. You basically have two main paths:
- Option 1: The manual option of using a spreadsheet or a staff Excel template.
- Option 2: The modern approach of using an absence management software
Let’s weigh up the pros and the cons.
Option 1: Tracking sick leave manually
Plenty of companies will try to track their sick leave with an Excel template.
The overall process looks like this:
- You’ll either download a Staff leave planner template or create your own and put in your team’s information.
- When someone needs to take a sick day, they get hold of you, and then you open your spreadsheet and mark them as out sick for the day.
For this post, we’ll show what a template looks like using Microsoft Excel’s standard annual leave template as an example.
You can see there are different colours for holiday leave and sick leave, so you can quickly look at your spreadsheet and see why someone is off.
If someone is taking a sick day, you just find the date they’re calling out and type in “S” for sick. And then in the right-hand column, you can see a total of how many days they’ve taken off in the year.
So what are the pros and cons to this manual method of absence management?
Pros of manually tracking sick leave:
- Perceived ease of use: It will seem “familiar” and easy to use. Since most people know how to use Excel, they may feel more comfortable using it.
- Cost: Initially, it can be relatively cheap. If you already have Excel then it’s pretty much free.
Cons of manually tracking sick leave:
- Your spreadsheet lumps different types of leave together: This means sick leave and holiday leave both get totted up, but you actually want them to be completely separate from their own record. So, if you’re using an Excel template, you either need to manually add up the sick days to get an accurate number, or create your own customised formula that removes it from the total.
- You have to manually update the spreadsheet: Every time someone calls in sick, you’ll need to pull up the sheet, find their name, and add their sick days. And if you forget to update your spreadsheet, it’ll end up causing problems with payroll.
- It isn’t easy to see if someone’s sick leave is paid or not: Excel templates aren’t a big help for your payroll because you don’t get an individual breakdown of each employee’s paid leave. You can’t easily see how much sick time someone has taken for the year.
While spreadsheets might seem like a simple solution, they quickly become time consuming and unreliable as your team grows. They're prone to errors, annoying to update, and just have no automation and reporting features needed for effective absence management. So, what's the alternative?
Option 2: Tracking sick leave with software
An alternative option to using manual tracking would be to use an absence management software. Most of these apps are designed to automate and simplify the entire absence tracking process. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons:
Pros of using sick leave tracking software:
- Automated record keeping: Seriously, who enjoys typing endless dates and names into spreadsheets? Software automates this, keeping records up-to-date without you lifting a finger.
- Clear absence overviews: Most software can give you essentially a birds eye view of who's off and when. Much easier than having to manually check through files, columns or rows.
- Detailed reporting and analytics: Want to know if there's a pattern to those sick days? Software can show you. Spotting trends helps you make smarter decisions about your policies. Data is your friend and the more you have access to the better!
- Simplified employee requests: Most absence management systems allow employees to request leave directly through the app. No more complicated forms or awkward phone calls. It's all streamlined.
- Improved payroll integration: Say goodbye to payroll headaches! Software can easily export data, making sure everyone gets paid correctly. Plus, it can usually clearly separate paid and unpaid sick leave. Some software can even integrate with popular payroll systems.
- Documentation storage: Need to store those 'fit notes' or other documents? Software can handle that, keeping everything organised and easy to find.
Cons of using sick leave tracking software:
- The cost factor: Software costs money. You'll need to weigh the price against the time and stress it saves you. In most cases, it’ll be worth the cost, but that’s something that you need to consider.
- Learning to use the software: There’ll be a bit of a learning curve when you switch from manual tracking to using software. Most absence management softwares are super user friendly though, so it should be easy for employees to learn the ropes!
What features should you be looking for in your absence management solution?
So we can clearly see that the pros of using a sick leave tracking software outweigh the cons. Great! Now it’s time to get into what you should be keeping an eye out for when choosing a software to go with. There are a few non-negotiables when it comes a good management software, and we believe those are:
- They should be user friendly: You want something that your team can actually use. So look for clean and intuitive designs that are easy to navigate.
- Customisation: Flexibility is key! Make sure that the software you’re going to use can handle what you need it to do. For example, does the software accommodate different types of leave? Can it send requests to specific people? It might be worth taking the software for a spin before taking the plunge.
- Reporting and analytics: Good reporting is important for tracking trends and making informed decisions. Have a look into what the software can and can’t report on before making a decision.
- Mobile accessibility: Does the software have mobile functionality? Remember, we want things to be easy for employees, and what could be easier than using an app on your phone to send in a sick leave request?
- Does it play well with others: Integration is essential! It’s going to make your life a whole lot easier if your absence management system can integrate with whatever payroll system you’re using for example.
Do you need help with your sick leave tracking?
So, we've walked through the ins and outs of tracking sick leave, from the trusty spreadsheet to the more streamlined approach of dedicated software. The truth is, managing absences doesn't have to be a constant struggle. Whether you're dealing with last-minute call-outs, payroll puzzles, or simply trying to keep accurate records, there are tools and strategies to make your life easier.
If you're still wrestling with spreadsheets and manual processes, it might be time to consider a more modern solution. Sick leave software can automate tedious tasks, provide valuable insights, and ultimately, free up your time to focus on more important things.
With Timetastic in your corner, you can gain greater transparency across your business, manage resources effectively and protect your employees - so everyone in your team gets a well-deserved rest.
Timetastic is a simple-to-use sick leave app that gives you:
- Up-to-date tracking on your team’s sick leave (as well as other leave types).
- Two ways to share sick leave information with your payroll department.
- An easy way for your team to put in their sick leave notice, so you don’t have to worry about updating your company calendar or their individual sick leave balance.
Simply sign up today and you can get 30 days completely free of charge! Discover the wonderful benefits of sick leave tracking without the fuss!