September 6, 2018 Organizational Behaviour Discussion Forum Post 1

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Reliability and employee commitment are two major factors in the operation of a successful organization, which is why employee absences and turnover rates are troubling for management.
Absence, or missing/not showing up for work, can occur for a plethora of reasons, such as physical or mental medical issues, family needs and demands, emergencies, appointments, jury duty and more. Absences disrupt the function of an organization by (oftentimes, but not always) unexpectedly being shorted a member of the team that plays an important role, and therefore the co-workers and/or managers have to pick up the slack to fill in for the missing person. Occasional absences are expected in the workplace, but when absenteeism becomes a habit without proof of a just cause (ie: a sick note) then absenteeism generally requires disciplinary action. Depending on the type of organization, the disciplinary action might range from a stern talking-to, to a demerit, to a written warning or even dismissal. In order to manage absences, organizations can implement straight-forward policies that inform employees of the importance of attendance and the repercussions of failure to comply with those policies. When people have clearly articulated policies laid out in front of them they are less likely to get confused about the workplace expectations and standards, and therefore hold themselves to a higher standard. Another method of reducing absenteeism, besides disciplinary action, is to create a work culture that is enjoyable, manageable and sustainable. Employees that have regularly scheduled break times, reliable days off, health and dental benefits and employee incentive programs have higher job satisfaction and therefore lower absence rates. 
Turnover, or the rate at which employees are hired and let go (or quit) in an organization is another indicator of organizational health. Similar to absenteeism, people leave jobs for many different reasons, such as inadequate pay, inaccessibility to benefit packages, harsh work conditions, employee-manager relations or a better position elsewhere. Businesses with higher turnover rates, such as minimum wage positions (ie: the service industry) can have a steady flow of employees coming in and out of the business, which hinders the organization's progress and growth, as long-term employees build more skills and networks within the organizations in which they stay. It also increases the cost of hiring and training as it has to be done more regularly than organizations with lower turnover rates. To attract employees to stay long-term and lower turnover rates, organizations can use employee incentive programs, competitive wages/salaries, benefits packages, annual sick days, paid holiday time and staff community-building social activities to promote overall job satisfaction and retention. 

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