Ample research shows that overt absenteeism can cost companies billions of dollars. While you can successfully handle planned time off, no call no show incidents are impossible to manage. And if you fail to make your employees adhere to absence policies, your company’s health will suffer. This is why implementing a well-thought-out no call no show policy is not a matter of choice; it’s a must.
Take a look at our comprehensive guide to understand all the bits and pieces of a no call no show policy designed to safeguard your business from the repercussions of chronic, irresponsible absenteeism.
What is No Call No Show?
If your employees need time off, they should notify you as early as possible. Even in an emergency, they should give you short notice so that upper management can figure out how to best accommodate the situation without negatively impacting the business.
A no call no show refers to an irresponsible act on part of an employee who is scheduled to work normally yet does not show up for a shift without giving any prior notice. It can leave your management rushing to find someone to fill in for the shift, which can have a negative impact on the day’s output, the morale of the remaining employees, the overall productivity of the team, and more. Thankfully, a no call no show policy can protect your business from such reckless occurrences. But where do you even start?
No Call No Show: The Basics
The first thing on your to-do list is to create a handbook explaining to all employees what consequences will follow if they fail to adhere to strict attendance rules. Your handbook should include the following points:
- Clearly explain what no call no show means
- Clarify the distinction between excused and unexcused absences
- Explain due procedures for requesting time off
- Detail the consequences for no call no show incidents
- Explain how many no call no shows can be excused (if any) without an employee losing the job
It is your responsibility to keep your employees informed on all important information. If anyone fails to adhere to clearly stated rules, you’ll not have second thoughts about the person’s incompatibility with your company values.
Once you’ve established your attendance rules, you’re all set to start legally implementing your much-needed no call no show policy.
No Call No Show: The Contract
Having established your no call no show policy, it is imperative that all employees, both current and prospective, are aware of the expectations and have signed a document confirming their agreement with the policy. This is a crucial stage in effectively addressing issues of no calls no shows.
The reason for this is largely psychological: people tend to neglect word-of-mouth rules that have no legal foundation. Therefore, skipping this step could backfire with employees coming up with ever-new justifications for their careless absences. You can’t afford to waste time on trivial disagreements, which can have a devastating impact on your business.
Avoid these types of misunderstandings by emphasizing your no call no show policy during employee onboarding. Always check in with your team to see if they have any questions or concerns, and address those as they arise. In the end, have them sign a document attesting that they had the chance to ask questions and now fully understand the policy.
Below is an example of a clearly stated no call no show policy that you could include in your contract:
“If you are not in contact with your manager at least one hour before the start of your shift, we will treat this as a No Call No Show incident. In accordance with the Attendance Policy, we will update your personal record and request an explanation for the incident as well as your written promise that it will never occur again. If a no call no show incident occurs again, we will terminate our working relationship with you.”
How Much Shall You Tolerate?
Be firm and consistent when enforcing your no call no show policy. Some companies have a strict no-tolerance rule regarding such behavior, preferring to dismiss employees that fail to comply with the agreement. Others can be more considerate.
Whatever strategy you choose, it’s important to stay consistent and enforce your rules justly. Although you may feel tempted to bend the rules for your best employee who has repeatedly disregarded your no call no show policy, you must remain firm and uphold company policy. When you show clear favoritism for some employees over others and are inconsistent with your policies, you can cause a serious crack in your firm’s internal culture, hurting your business all the more.
What If The Policy Fails?
You’ve established a no call no show policy, communicated it to all employees and requested their collaboration to help avoid the nuisance. Yet the problem persists. What should you do? In this case, you have to dig deeper to understand the root cause. Here are some of the most vital questions you could ask yourself:
- Would it be wise to reevaluate your schedule? Are all employees happy with it? If not, why?
- Perhaps there are some problems with your policy, like a convoluted system for submitting absence requests that your employees find hard to follow?
- Do you have a heart-to-heart relationship with your employees? Have you ever wondered what causes them to skip work so often?
After carefully examining similar issues, you will eventually locate the root cause of your problem and prepare to solve it. It may be an inconsistency in your no call no show policy or a deeper issue with your work culture- whatever the case, research and thinking are your secret weapons for finding out.
Wrapping Up
The benefits of a no call no show policy for a business cannot be overstated.
If employees regularly miss work without giving proper notice, it could have an adverse influence on your company’s overall efficiency. Therefore, a no call no show policy is essential for ensuring that you never have to deal with similar annoyances again. Good luck!
Further Reading
Structured Workplace Learning
Gratitude Wall Ideas
Emotional Resignation