Absence Management in Logistics

When the absence of a driver isn’t recorded properly and promptly, a lorry fails to leave on time and the buyer awaits their delivery in vain. If absences aren’t systematically recorded and followed up, health and performance warning signs are missed. Warehouse staff absences need to be filled fast to keep everything moving – and the connection between absence and health can often be evident.

Absence can happen for many reasons – from minor illness, musculoskeletal problems, accidents and long-term health issues, and mental health problems including stress. All employers are being increasingly affected by demographic changes such as ageing, obesity and rising levels of diabetes – adding to the pressures.

Absence is often an early indicator of associated issues and frequently leads to parallel health cases and HR cases including disciplinary, grievance and other employee relations matters – all to be managed concurrently.

Managing logistics staff health

Driving an HGV can be sedentary and stressful – and loading or unloading may involve a fair amount of physical effort. It’s not always easy for your drivers to make smart lifestyle and food choices on the road. In the depot, workers load and unload so fitness to operate moving machinery may be an essential check. While warehouse workers are often shifting, lifting and moving, can be working at height, and may be vulnerable to physical hazards such as falling stock.

It’s time to do more than the minimum.

Putting health at the centre of your workforce strategy is key to reducing the risks and costs of absence, retaining and attracting the staff you need to thrive.

Doing more than the minimum means getting proactive and monitoring health constantly and consistently, not just reacting. You need accurate data, smart insights and appropriate platforms – and your standard HR and enterprise systems were never designed for either.

Can you answer all these vital questions about every employee?

  • Are they fit for work?
  • Are they at risk?
  • Have you checked?
  • Can you prove it?

Connecting Logistics HR cases

Connecting employees and HR representatives is a significant challenge in a complex logistics and warehousing business. Your employees may be distributed around different hubs and depots, with many physically on the road, and with shift-based working common. Managing and maintaining a clear overview of HR cases can be problematic without platforms in place to ensure the flow of information and communication, and enable you to see, organise and connect case types.

Empactis HR Case Manager offers the customised solution you need to empower line managers to engage with employees around issues. HR teams can gain the overview and control you need, whether you’re dealing with grievance, performance or disciplinary cases or associated issues such as employee health or absence  – so you can focus on adding value, instead of admin.

How Empactis can help logistics firms

The Empactis platform can help logistics firms to:

Explore them for yourself below – or contact us to discuss their potential value to your organisation.