When an employee keeps missing work, frustration is a common reaction. But Carmen Bellows, Sun Life’s Director of Mental Health, says managers should begin by asking: “What’s changed?”
Repeated absences often reflect pressures or struggles that call for support, not immediate discipline, she said.
Absenteeism refers to regular or prolonged absences that disrupt workflows and create extra pressure on teams. When one person is frequently absent, it can create dissent and conflict with colleagues.
“Absenteeism affects all of us,” Bellows said. “Oftentimes we just focus on the individual who’s not there, but both absenteeism and presenteeism has a significant impact on the overall health of the organization.”
Looking for patterns
Rather than focusing solely on individual absences, managers should examine patterns within their teams. This broader view helps identify whether issues are isolated or reflect wider problems with team dynamics or workplace culture.
When managers notice concerning patterns, they should have private conversations offering concern and support. These discussions should also address how absences impact teamwork, particularly when someone has a chronic, relapsing or remitting health condition, she said.
“If we recognize that there are certain medical conditions that are unpredictable, they’re going to significantly impact people. But if we have that plan with the individual and with the team, then it doesn’t feel so overwhelming,” Bellows said.
The APIC model for conflict navigation
When dealing with potential conflict, whether health-related or performance-based, Bellows recommends the APIC model: Assess, Plan, Implement and Check.
Assess: Gather information from all parties and identify the root cause. Avoid jumping to conclusions and determine the impact on both the individual and the team.
Plan: Set clear objectives for resolution, develop potential solutions, and prepare a structured approach. Encourage employees to take ownership of the plan with actionable steps.
Implement: Have open and respectful communication with the individual and separately with the team. Maintain the privacy of employees involved.
Check: This is the most important part, said Bellows. Continue monitoring the situation, follow up with everyone involved, evaluate the effectiveness of the resolution, and make adjustments as necessary.
The APIC model isn’t a one-time process. It requires ongoing repetition, allowing managers to continuously gather feedback and refine processes.
Balancing productivity and empathy
While managers should be empathetic, organizations still have business objectives to meet.
“We want to be flexible and clear with what our goal is. At the end of the day, we have a job to do here,” Bellows said.
Psychological safety doesn’t mean eliminating performance expectations. It means creating an environment where employees feel supported while still meeting organizational needs, she said.
Checking in with the team
When addressing individual absences or performance issues, managers should also check in with other team members without discussing specific employee details.
Instead, managers can focus on observable impacts: “How are things going for you? How is your workload?”
The goal is gathering feedback on how team members are functioning and ensuring organizational goals are still being met.
“That’s why it becomes important to do that 360-degree feedback, looking at how people are functioning, without specifically identifying a patient or a problem,” Bellows said.
This approach works best if managers have established regular check-ins with their entire team long before problems arise, she said.
Accommodation as a bridge
Whether someone is absent due to physical or mental health issues, the accommodation approach should be the same. Accommodations serve as a bridge from the current situation to where employees need to be, said Bellows.
Accommodations might include coming in later because of sleep difficulties, working in a quieter environment, or adjusting lighting. For employees returning after extended absences, a program of retraining can also be valuable.
Standardizing the return-to-work process removes barriers and reduces stigma because the reason for absence becomes irrelevant, she said.
Managing visible accommodations
Some accommodations are visible to other employees, which can lead to questions about differential treatment. The approach depends largely on workplace culture, said Bellows.
In organizations with established trust and collaboration, many questions don’t arise because employees understand accommodations are made for valid reasons.
“If we have an environment of trust and collaboration, lots of those questions don’t need to be asked,” Bellows said.
When employees ask about accommodations
When questions do arise, the first step is determining what the returning employee wants colleagues to know.
Managers can validate questions while maintaining boundaries: “I can understand why you’re curious, and you need to trust that we as an organization are making the right choices,” she said.
Sometimes questions arise because employees don’t understand accommodation rights and privacy. This approach allows managers to shut down inappropriate conversations without being harsh.
When organizations fail to provide clear communication, they create what Bellows calls “disparate campaigns” where employees create their own narratives to fill information gaps.
When managers provide clear but limited information, it reduces questions. If employees still ask why someone receives different treatment, the response should reference organizational policy: “It’s in accordance with what our policies are to make sure everybody is safe and accommodated,” said Bellows.
