Speaker 1: Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
Speaker 1: performance through strong human relations, team building and golachieving. This
Speaker 1: is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul
Speaker 1: Fello Aledo.
Speaker 2: Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
Speaker 2: It's episode two eighty seven. One of the biggest challenges
Speaker 2: for any leader, especially in industries like healthcare, retail, in
Speaker 2: food services, dealing with employees calling off. It disrupts operations,
Speaker 2: increases workload on others, and can lead to burnout. But
Speaker 2: instead of just seeing call offs as a frustration, strong
Speaker 2: leaders dig into why they happen and what can be
Speaker 2: done to support employees while reducing unnecessary absences. And there
Speaker 2: are legitimate reasons for calling off illness, family emergencies, and
Speaker 2: unforeseen circumstances, but there are also preventable reasons like burnout,
Speaker 2: low morale, or feeling unappreciated. If your employees don't feel
Speaker 2: connected to the organization, they're more likely to call off
Speaker 2: for reasons beyond true emergencies. So what can leaders do? First?
Speaker 2: Identify patterns, track when and why employees are calling off.
Speaker 2: Is it always on weekends, is it a particular shift
Speaker 2: or season, Recognizing trends helps you get ahead of problems
Speaker 2: before they escalate, and next, improve workplace morale. Employees who
Speaker 2: feel valued and engaged in their work are less likely
Speaker 2: to call off unless it's absolutely necessary. Regular recognition, fair treatment,
Speaker 2: and a strong sense of purpose makes a huge difference.
Speaker 2: And then address burnout. If your team is constantly running
Speaker 2: short or overworked, call offs will increase. Look at scheduling,
Speaker 2: encourage time off before burnout sets in, and check in
Speaker 2: with employees on their workload, and then encourage open communications.
Speaker 2: Employees should feel comfortable discussing their challenges without fear of retaliation.
Speaker 2: When people can openly talk about stress and personal issues
Speaker 2: or job frustrations, they may be less likely to use
Speaker 2: a sick day as an escape. And implement a fair
Speaker 2: and clear policy. Make sure call off policies are understood,
Speaker 2: fair and consistently enforced. Avoid overly punitive measures that create resentment,
Speaker 2: but also ensure accountability so the team doesn't suffer, and
Speaker 2: offer incentives for reliability. Consider attendance bonuses, shift swaps, or
Speaker 2: additional time off benefits for employees with strong attendance. Rewarding
Speaker 2: reliability instead of just punishing call offs can shift workplace culture.
Speaker 2: And last, lead by example. If leadership constantly calls off,
Speaker 2: shifts responsibilities unfairly, or fosters a toxic work environment, employees
Speaker 2: will follow suit model the behavior that you want to see.
Speaker 2: The goal isn't to eliminate call offs entirely. That's unrealistic,
Speaker 2: but by addressing the root causes and supporting your team,
Speaker 2: you'll see fewer unnecessary absences, a stronger team culture, and
Speaker 2: a more engaged workforce. The bottom line is we need
Speaker 2: our employees. Call Offs hurt organizations, especially those that don't
Speaker 2: have depth in their roster. Leadership must prioritize culture and
Speaker 2: support employees if they want to turn this issue around.
Speaker 2: This has been the seven Minute Leadership Podcast, and I
Speaker 2: thank you for listening.
Speaker 1: For more, Paul Fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot
Speaker 1: com