The Sick Note Scandal
There is an amazing programme on BBC2 at the moment. The programme is telling the story of a company (Pickfords Removals) who are trying to reduce the number of people calling in sick when they are not really. There methodology represents a fundamental missunderstanding of how to get the best out of there employees. There ideas include : Hiring AHP – A firm who force employees to explain to trained nurses why they are off sick; paying only the legal minimum sick pay, including not paying the first three days of absence.
I think they have completely missed the point. They should be looking at why people are taking “sickies” not scaring them into not taking time off. Now Pickfords are facing the oposite problem. Employees are turning up to work when they are ill because they can’t afford to lose a days pay! This puts other peoples heath, and probably safety, at very grave risk.
I emplore some management consultant somewhere who wants to earn a fortune to work out exactly what is going on. There must be a way to dramatically reduce the number of unjustified absences without using fear tactics!?!?!