Handling an unauthorised absence

At one point, I supported a line manager dealing with an employee who didn’t turn up for a shift—and hadn’t made contact. The team was concerned, but unsure what to do. There was no clear guidance or process to follow, which made the situation stressful for everyone involved.

This led to a broader review of how we manage unexplained absences. Here’s the approach we introduced to give managers confidence, while making sure our response was both responsible and compassionate.

Step 1: Prepare with Clear Expectations

We started by putting a clear attendance policy in place. It covered how to report an absence, who to notify, and what methods of communication were preferred (e.g., call, text, or absence system). This gave

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