ACAS, the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service, have announced the launch of a free online learning package to help small businesses and organisations manage absence in the workplace.
ACAS says that in 2003 the cost to business of absence was £11.6 billion with 176 million working days lost. It claims that its online course provides “brief, straightforward advice that helps prevent problems and deal with those that do arise.”
The course covers topics including: unplanned and unauthorised absence; long term absences, developing an absence policy and procedures, recognising patterns of absence, and handling frequent and persistent absenteeism.
The package enables users to establish procedures suiting their own organisation or to revisit the website at any time for practical advice and information.
Promoting the service, ACAS Chair Rita Donaghy said, “Acas believes that prevention is better than cure, which is why our good practice guidance helps thousands of businesses stay out of employment tribunals each year.”
For details of the package see: ACAS
