Tess Taylor 
Ever wondered how employers train their HR departments to keep employee absenteeism to an efficient minimum? Surprisingly many of them don’t. Millions of pounds are wasted every year in the UK due to employee absenteeism, with employers paying out billions of pounds in wages to workers.
Although recent figures suggest that the problem is on the increase, less than half of employers monitor the cost of absenteeism. Employee sick leave abuse can be a costly problem, but it is preventable.
What can be done?
More and more companies are now turning to the services of a private investigator when it comes to proving whether employee absenteeism is genuine. However – a professional private investigator needs to ensure that confidentiality is honoured at all times.
How far can these investigators go?
There are legal procedures to follow for both employer and employee for genuine absenteeism, but if absence patterns start to surface – HR alarm bells will ring and the company will be faced with a decision. Investigators will attempt to gather as much evidence as possible to prove that the employee is genuinely unable to work, or in some cases, that they are fit and healthy and are just abusing the system to claim paid sick leave.
In the UK, specialist investigative experts are often hired on behalf of businesses to investigate the whereabouts of employees. This is done in a perfectly discreet manner and privacy is not invaded – for example, surveillance would not take place on the employee’s private property. The private investigator is specially trained in covert surveillance to track and gather information for the employer.
Why waste any more money?
It’s not a case of wasting money; it’s a matter of principle. Why should your company pay someone in good faith, when they are not genuinely sick or injured?
If you have any suspicions about members of your staff taking unreasonable amounts of time off through sickness, maybe now is the time to act. Instruct your HR team to seek a private investigator that can provide you with the evidence you need to create a legal case against the employee. There are services you can expect from a professional private investigation’s company, which provides guidance on the best surveillance techniques that understands the UK legal system.
Guest Author Bio: Lucia Jordan is a content writer for ProbeUK.com. She enjoys sharing legal tips in the UK and can be found on Google+ and Twitter.
