Absences from work can be disruptive to the efficient operation of any business. As such, it is important for employers to have an attendance policy in place that sets forth expectations and consequences for employees who are late or absent without notice. But what is an attendance policy?

A good attendance policy should include information on when employees are expected to arrive and leave work, as well as what constitutes an excused absence or tardiness. It should also specify how many days of paid time off (PTO) each employee is entitled to per year, and how they can use that PTO.

In this blog post, we'll explore what is an attendance policy and share with you all the tips you need to get started on creating an effective attendance policy.

What is an Attendance Policy?

An employee attendance policy is a set of guidelines that outlines expectations for employee attendance. It can help ensure that employees are aware of the company’s standards and what is expected of them when it comes to showing up on time.

A business’s attendance policy should include information on acceptable reasons for absences, such as illness or family emergencies, as well as how these excused absences will be tracked. It should also outline any consequences for tardiness or excessive absences, including warnings, suspensions, or even termination in extreme cases.

When creating a small business attendance policy, employers should consider their specific needs and goals. For example, some companies may require employees to clock in at certain times each day while others may allow more flexibility with start times depending on individual schedules and job duties.

Additionally, employers need to make sure they are consistent in enforcing a fair employee attendance policy so all employees understand what is expected from them and no one gets away with being late or taking too many days off without consequence.

Employers should communicate their policies clearly during onboarding so new hires know exactly what they need to do to stay compliant with the company's expectations. You should also review your business’s attendance policy periodically to keep it up-to-date.

Creating an attendance policy template is a great way to ensure employees are held accountable for their attendance and that expectations are clear. By implementing the policy, you can ensure your business runs smoothly and efficiently.

How to Write an Attendance Policy

What is an attendance policy?

An employee attendance policy is designed to increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, and clarify expectations for employees.

For many small businesses without an HR department, an employee attendance policy may seem too formal. After all, everyone should be aware of their responsibility to show up on time.

But as your company grows or you hire more personnel for peak season, a fair employee attendance policy becomes crucial in keeping your business running smoothly.

Here are some tips on how to write a small business attendance policy.

1. Work Around Your Company Culture

When it comes to crafting an employee attendance policy, the first step is to take into account your company culture.

Company culture includes values, norms, systems, symbols, language, assumptions, beliefs, and habits — like how often your employees show up on time. Talk to your managers and shift leads about their current approaches to tracking attendance. If one shift lead is fine with a slow start while another expects everyone on the floor right on the hour, it sends a mixed message which can be confusing for staff.

Consider any other cultural factors that may impact regular attendance such as family emergencies or traffic issues that could delay part-time summer staff coming in after school hours.

Look at whether scheduling habits are causing poor attendance. Maybe shifts are constantly changing or there isn't enough notice given which can lead to punctuality issues.

2. Keep It Simple

When it comes to writing attendance policies, simpler is better. You don’t need a binder-size document that covers every scenario! Just stick to the basics and define expectations for excused absences, unscheduled absences, tardiness, no-shows, and sick days in plain language that everyone can understand.

For example, an employee who arrives 15 minutes late should be marked as "tardy" on their performance record while an employee who fails to show up without prior notice should be marked as a "no-show". An employee who calls in sick should be given a separate category called "sick day".

Make sure your attendance policy is clear and consistent so there's no confusion about what constitutes acceptable behavior when it comes to showing up for work on time.

3. Tailor Your Policy to Different Scenarios

When it comes to tracking poor attendance, one size does not fit all. It’s important to tailor your policy based on the impact of different behaviors on your business.

For example, if you run a high-volume shift where every minute counts, an employee running 30 minutes late could have the same impact as an absence. If you don’t have someone who can fill in for unexpected absences, that could also be considered equivalent to a no-show.

Consider offering progressive discipline with increasing severity for each incident — such as verbal warnings or written warnings followed by suspension or termination — rather than using a zero-tolerance approach.

You may try providing additional training or support services before taking any action so that employees with chronic attendance issues can get back on track without facing harsh consequences right away.

Document all disciplinary actions taken and keep detailed records of employee attendance throughout their employment period in case there are disputes about how fairly they were treated under your policy. This will help ensure that everyone is held accountable while still giving employees room to learn from mistakes and improve their performance.

4. Get Your Employees to Sign Off

Once you’ve finalized your attendance policy, it’s time to get employee sign-off. This is a crucial step in ensuring that everyone understands and agrees with the new guidelines. Depending on the size of your team, you may want to give all employees a chance to review and provide feedback or just loop in leadership.

Regardless of who reviews it, getting employee buy-in is essential for the successful implementation of any policy change. While some resistance can be expected, good attendance should feel like a team effort — everyone working together towards common goals.

If employees think your new disciplinary measures are too aggressive, listen to their feedback and see if you can reach a compromise before moving forward with implementation.

Finally, once everyone has had an opportunity for input, ensure that all employees sign off on the final version of the document before implementing it across your organization. Having written confirmation from each individual will help protect both them and your business against potential legal ramifications.

Addressing Unauthorized Absences

Unauthorized absences can be a major problem for businesses, leading to decreased productivity and morale. It is important that employers establish clear expectations and consequences for employees who violate the attendance policy.

Establish Consequences

Employers should set out specific disciplinary measures that will be taken if an employee violates the attendance policy. This could include verbal warnings, written warnings, suspension without pay, or termination, depending on the severity of the violation.

Employees should also be made aware of any legal consequences they may face due to their unauthorized absence such as being held liable for wages lost.

Document Everything

It is important to document all instances of unauthorized absences as well as any disciplinary actions taken against an employee. Documentation should include details about when and why an employee was absent from work, what action was taken by management (e.g., verbal warning), and whether it was effective in addressing the issue at hand (e.g., improved punctuality).

Conclusion

What is an attendance policy? Attendance policies help ensure that employees are held accountable for their time and that the company’s goals are met. With an effective attendance policy in place, businesses can ensure they remain productive and successful.

Are you an entrepreneur, founder, manager, or operational leader looking to learn what is an attendance policy? Trainual can help by providing solutions for documenting processes and policies as well as superior onboarding, offboarding, and training experiences.

Our powerful and easy-to-use attendance software for tracking attendance is essential for any successful organization. With Trainual's expertise on hand, creating an effective attendance policy will be simpler than ever before. Sign up now to get started in scaling your business today!