No call no show employee: how to effectively deal with it
Failure of your employees to show up for work without informing anyone can gravely impact your workforce and your business. Other employees are left rushing to cover the no-call no-show (NCNS) employee, thus affecting your team's entire shift and leading to an unsatisfactory customer experience.
Dealing with this kind of employee can be a pain in the neck, especially for one who does it repetitively. So, how exactly do you handle this kind of situation? Worry not. We'll show you some effective processes for dealing with an NCNS offender and ways to find a fill-in for such an employee.
What is a no-call no-show employee (NCNS)?
An NCNS employee is someone who does not show up for assigned work schedules without notifying their employer. This action can put your whole organisation in distress because people start to scramble to fill in the work of the missing employee.
At the same time, managers and supervisors will frustratingly try to contact the employee to know what's happening. As a result, employees guilty of NCNS also take a massive nip out of workforce productivity, with an average loss of 36.6%.
How do you handle NCNS employees?
While dealing with unexpected work absences from an employee is nerve-wracking, it's essential to handle this matter strategically. Doing so helps create a workplace where such cases are less likely to occur. Yes, it is possible and here's how:
Implement a no-call, no-show policy
Needless to say that employees need to show up for their work and inform you if something happens that prevents them from doing their job. However, a written policy about work absenteeism helps delineate when work absences make up for job abandonment. It also lets employees know you're serious about NCNS cases.
Your formal, written policy for no-call, no-show should include:
- Elaborate on what it means to take time off, which often involves notifying you of expected absences in advance (a week or more).
- A clear definition of an emergency absence that makes no-call, no-show acceptable.
- A clear description of no-call, no-show.
- A detail of when the employee needs to contact you in an emergency. For example, within 30 minutes before the shift starts.
- Employees must face the consequences after their first, second, and third offences.
- A valid document to show proof that an emergency results in an NCNS (e.g. medical certificate).
- A clear description of a work abandonment and the process to take if an NCNS meets the definition.
Before sharing your absenteeism policy, have an employment solicitor review it for any state laws violation. Then, when you're ready to establish your policy, make sure your employees sign it and make it a part of an employee handbook or a stand-alone attendance policy to ensure it's read.
Do some investigation
Monitor your employees' lateness and absences. It's of utmost importance. Having a written record of absences dates and details about them can help your workforce in case one employee is not meeting their workload. Also, keeping records can help you if you need to write a termination letter.
It also empowers you to cease NCNS before it even starts if you get to know your employees and their concerns. You can get additional training or mentorship if your employee struggles at work. Do this before your worker's morale shifts into absenteeism.
You can also use surveys to get your organisation's take if you're not getting answers from your employees directly. Putting anonymous surveys in place can help your employees address issues they may not feel comfortable telling in public.
Have a scheme in place for NCNS escalations
The repeat offenders are the real issue with no-call, no-show employees. And because of this, you need to devise ways to escalate action.
After a first offence, you can add a notice about the employee in their file and tell them about it verbally. After a second offence, have the employee participate in training to enhance their commitment to work or show up to meetings to find solutions for unannounced absences.
Make a clear emphasis on how close the employee is to dismissal during a second violation. Share a copy of the signed no-call no-show policy with the employee as a form of an agreement reminder.
Set up the right tools
The success of your business greatly depends on how you handle your entire workforce. Remember, one bad apple can destroy the entire barrel. So never allow a no-call, no-show employee to pull your organisation or business down.
Always set up a policy that lays down ground rules for absences and plans to cover employees who don't report to work. In such a manner, you will cover all shifts and won't have to worry about short-staffing during a super hectic shift.
And to make everything seamless, you need to use the best tool to get the job done—RosterElf. RosterElf's employee time and attendance software help you prevent issues related to scheduling several employees (e.g. no-call, no-show, double-schedules), and it also facilitates finding stand-ins whenever issues arise.
Key takeaway
A no-call, the no-show situation is nothing new. Every employer will have to deal with it at some point. When this happens to you, it pays to take a deep breath and don't lose your cool. Just don't forget to have a plan to cut back on absenteeism, boost work-life balance, and enhance workplace culture. Moreover, you'll be able to prepare for all sorts of employee emergencies that keep an employee from coming to work.
RosterElf: rostering made easy
RosterElf's cloud-based rostering software truly is a game-changer. Say goodbye to roster conflicts and chase employees for their availability to work. Instead, employees can easily update their availability to work and notify managers about it through a smartphone app.
Staff set the times and days they can work, and RosterElf does the rest. Our software then automatically suggests available employees fill shifts.
What are you waiting for? Time to take your rostering and payroll game to the next level and boost your business' performance.
To get a clearer view of how our app works, enjoy 15-day access to our tool for free!
