Under Pressure Every time the phone rings, it's a stressed-out employee calling in sick. What can you do?
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Our super-fast economy has finally led to super-fed-up workers,who are calling in sick in droves simply because they feel entitledto days off. Entitlement is at an all-time high for the second yearin a row, accounting for 19 percent of unscheduled absencesaccording to the 1999 CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey.
Though absenteeism declined 7 percent last year, unscheduledabsences still cost employers an average of $602 per employeeannually. And a good chunk of that change can be attributed to arise in reported stress (which tripled between 1995 and 1999) andthe subsequent spread of the entitlement mentality (which more thandoubled).
"People feel they've been working longer hours-in somecases because jobs aren't being filled quickly due to theincredibly tight job market. Remaining workers end up picking upthe slack," explains Susan Jacksack, a senior small-businessanalyst for the CCH BusinessOwner's Toolkit, a Web site run by the Riverwoods,Illinois, business and legal publishing firm.
Though preventive programs like flexible scheduling andchild-care referral are perceived as helpful, disciplinary actionis still the most popular option at 77 per-cent of the companies.Paid time off-banks of hours employees can use for variousreasons-is perceived as the most effective program; however, only27 percent of organizations use it.
