Port of London Authority – absence management
| Company name | Port of London Authority |
|---|---|
| Sector | Public sector |
| Number of employees | 365 |
| Type of workforce | Administrative and operational staff |
What issue was the organisation facing?
The Port of London Authority (PLA) employs 351 staff to provide safe navigation on the River Thames in London. When a new Director of HR was appointed at the PLA, he conducted an analysis of staff absence caused by ill-health. This analysis found that absence levels were a considerable drain on the organisation. With a view to helping the PLA provide the best service it could for its stakeholders, and to support staff during absences, the PLA decided that a more effective sickness absence management system should be introduced.
What action did the organisation take?
The PLA introduced an effective sickness absence management programme which includes:
- referral to the organisation’s occupational health doctor for any absence that is potentially long-term
- using the occupational health doctor’s advice to provide opportunities for safe earlier return to work where staff aren’t able to carry out their normal duties
- making rehabilitation a priority
- managers being more involved in their employees’ absences, and being held more accountable for that management
- return to work interviews
- training for managers and staff in the procedures and support available.
What has been the impact of implementing health interventions?
- 70% drop in overall absence rates from 11–12% in 1999 to 3–3.4% in 2003, and 2.4% in 2009.
- Numbers of staff on long-term absence have dropped from about 15–16 employees to about 1-2 employees at any one time and most of these absences are down to non work related.
- A system for providing line managers with timely data on absence levels which assists in their management duties.
- Fewer staff days absent due to ill health.
- Fewer staff suffering from long-term absences.
- Increased awareness by line managers of existing and potential health and safety issues.
The expanded use of the PLA’s occupational health service has cost an estimated £20,000 a year. Manager’s time spent managing absence is the same, but the focus is different. More effort is placed on causes of absence and assisting staff return to work, rather than coping with the effects of absence in the workplace.
Exact savings from the reduced levels of absence haven’t been calculated (due to the wide salary span within the PLA). However, the 70% reduction in staff absence is equivalent to around 30 staff at work. This greatly outweighs the additional cost of their occupational health service.