Too Many Sick Days? Use Carrots, Not Sticks

Absenteeism can hurt the workplace. Morale takes a dive and that ringing phone means another employee is not showing up. The Outpatient Radiology lab at San Francisco Medical Center had a poor attendance record and that led to a low rate of collecting co-pays. The team created a rewards program with different thresholds for perfect attendance. They coached staff, adopted flexible schedules and approved last-minute vacation requests. Over a 33-month period, sick days dropped an average of 9 days per FTE.

Here's What Worked

• Creating a rewards and recognition program for perfect attendance
• Educating and coaching staff about attendance, improving communication and rebuilding trust
• Creating flexible schedules, approving last-minute vacation requests and working to raise morale

What can your team do to reward and recognize one another?