Many organizations face employee absence issues on a daily basis. The level of absence varies depending on the work sector. Strategies to reduce absenteeism rates differ between each organization. My retail company currently has an attendance policy in place, but absenteeism continues to be a problem. To find the solution to reduce absenteeism, I should understand the common causes of absenteeism and then find different solutions to solve the problem. Proper communication and documentation of employee absences will improve absenteeism, employee productivity and customer service. “Absence management suffers from poor record keeping.” Occupational Health 61.8 (2009): 4. Premier academic research. EBSCO. Network. 10 March 2011. This article highlights that poor record keeping by line managers was a problem. The article identifies some difficulties that line managers have faced in the healthcare sector. They were unwilling or unable to control employee absences in accordance with the organization's policies and guidelines. Absences were reported late, not reported, or reported inconsistently. Most employers required employees to notify them of their absence within the first day, but over a quarter of employers did not have a process for employees to follow. Superiors were responsible for any notifications of absence. Eighty-five percent of employers documented absences during return-to-work interviews, but only half of employers required their employees to complete a return-to-work form. The above article is related to my thesis because it shows that line managers do not have the right skills. procedure for documenting employee absences. Managers have a responsibility to correct the problem, but inconsistently follow comp...... middle of paper ...... notification and documentation of employee absences will improve absenteeism, employee productivity and customer service. Improving communication between employees and managers is an important practice that improves employee attendance. Managers can reduce absenteeism by enforcing clear attendance policies and having adequate documentation of employee absences. Managers must keep accurate and consistent records of absences. Employees must report absences immediately so managers can properly document them in records. Source readings also indicate that absenteeism not only affects productivity and customer service, but also affects employee morale. Employee morale will decline if managers ignore the abuse of absenteeism among employees. Both absenteeism and employee morale can have a negative effect on productivity and customer service.