Having a good team culture could stop people from ringing in sick when they aren't or not showing up. Photo / Getty Images
Having a good team culture could stop people from ringing in sick when they aren't or not showing up. Photo / Getty Images
Workplace absenteeism combined with the labour shortage is creating headaches for employers and ''stressed out'' and ''overworked'' staff.
The news comes as thousands of retail and hospitality jobs around the country and in the Bay of Plenty remain unfilled.
Industries in the primary sector were also fearing the future becauseit was often hard to get people for seasonal work.
The kiwifruit industry completed its latest harvest despite failing to fill 3600 Bay of Plenty seasonal jobs and grappling with significant absenteeism issues.
Restaurant Association of New Zealand chief executive Marisa Bidois said the industry needed 10,000 more workers over the next five years.
She said absenteeism was something that all businesses grapple with.
''There are all kinds of reasons why a staff member may need to take leave, from feeling unwell through to mental health issues or caring for family members. In our experience, hospitality teams are like families in themselves and most employees won't want to let their colleagues down.''
But being a team member down did put a lot of pressure on the rest of the crew.
''If service is slowed down as a result of being short-staffed, this can force businesses to lose revenue.''
Missing a few days of work was expected from time to time.
''When it becomes regular and ongoing that creates problems in the workplace. Great training is key. We need people motivated and fit to work but we also need to look to ourselves, as an industry, to ensure that we are investing sufficient time into our workforce.''
Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford said the sector was relatively buoyant, but the labour market was tight and the cost of doing business was escalating rapidly.
There was a shortage of quality candidates for roles right across the sector now numbering in the thousands.
Retail NZ's advice to members was that a disciplinary process should be followed in cases of unjustified absenteeism, and employees who did not show up to work, or who abused their sick leave entitlements could expect, at the least, a warning.
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley. Photo / NZME
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley said business owners were stressed and frustrated.
''Business leaders are forced to either pick up the slack themselves or reduce their output so they don't burn out their staff. It's a tough decision to turn business down.''
Absenteeism was difficult in shift work, particularly in the service sector.
''I've heard various examples from hospitality businesses that they have increased the pay rates to employ more Kiwis as dishwashers, but quite often they don't turn up for their shift. Others in the kitchen need to pick up the work, which slows down their service times.''
For lower-skilled workers access to transport, particularly as buses were not always available, could also be a factor.
Meanwhile, for skilled workers, having a bad team culture, staff burnout, and feelings of under-appreciation could play a role.
''It really depends on the individual circumstances. Generally speaking, it's getting to know your employees better, including understanding what's happening in their personal lives that is impacting their attendance at work. It could be financial, medical or that they have dependants relying on them.''
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bryce Heard said it had not had any noticeable increase in concerns about absenteeism, but there was quite a bit of feedback about the inability to get skilled employees.
''This and the inability to get skilled immigrants into NZ - we have had some reports of stressed and overworked core staff and owners unable to fill roles from the people available within.''
With statutory holidays, annual leave and sick leave entitlements, employees were expected to take one day off every six days on average.
''This is good for the employee, but places stress on those who are left 'managing the shop'. It also makes wage and salary employment less attractive to employers.''
Consequently, some employers outsource contracted suppliers in preference to employing more staff or employing unreliable staff, he said.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Colin Bond. Photo / Supplied
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Colin Bond said it was aware that absenteeism had been a significant issue in the kiwifruit industry during the 2021 harvest, and ''is disappointing''.
This noticeable absenteeism comes on the back of the kiwifruit industry offering significantly higher wages this season with almost all employers paying at least the living wage of $22.10 an hour, he said.
''Absenteeism affects industry productivity and can ultimately impact on the economic returns to the kiwifruit regions across New Zealand. More than 80 per cent comes from the Bay of Plenty.''
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc was working to ascertain what drivers encourage absenteeism in order to mitigate this issue for the upcoming harvest, he said.
At the peak of the harvest this season, the Bay of Plenty was short of at least 3600 seasonal workers.
Winter pruners were being sought through to October and would be followed by jobs such as summer pruning and thinning right until harvest in March.
• Job opportunities can be found on the NZKGI Facebook page KiwifruitJobsNZ.
