I’m all for blanket policies, they make life easy, everybody knows where they stand:
- Everybody on the same pay scale
- Everybody entitled to the same amount of holiday
- Everybody gets the same computer
If you treat everyone fairly then everyone feels fairly treated.
But I’m not so keen on blanket solutions
Tesco’s solution was simple, a blanket policy change, stop sick pay for the first 3 days of any absence.
I wasn’t there, but I guess this change in policy changed behaviour:
Sometimes for the better
- Sick days dropped
- Reported productivity levels rose
And sometimes for the worse
- Sick people dragged themselves into work
- Sick people made their colleagues sick
- Sick people made their customers sick
Was it an employee relations success?
I work for Tesco and I think it sucks!!! ~ Jules
Or a public relations success?
Tesco’s new scheme is dressed up as a means of supporting staff who feel they are let down by absent employees. Rather than find the money to cover absent positions, Tesco’s have devised a plan that will save them money and not address the real issue at all. ~ Jason Kitson
Or a resounding success?
Cool – Tesco have now officially extended sickies to 4 days! ~ John B
Maybe there are better ways than blankets
Perhaps the managers could have found out who was sick and why:
- Were they genuinely sick?
- Did they have a problem at home?
- Did they hate their job?
- Or were they swinging the lead?
Then done something about that. Instead of punishing everyone.
Next time you are about to apply a blanket solution…
Banning access to social media… Stopping people from bringing mobile phones into work… Insisting that people work from 9 to 5… try this one instead:
Hire people you trust to do a good job, treat them like adults, be clear what is unacceptable and discipline the individuals who misbehave.
Blankets are just for the lazy.
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