A New Method

The Plan...

We built a three-part plan to address the absenteeism issues. The plan would communicate the expectation, identify our disproportionate contributors, and initiate our progressive counseling process.


The first step of our plan consisted of sending out a blanket memo to the floor outlining the problem, it's impact on performance (Work Load, Service Level), and the expectation.

The second phase was to identify the 20% (Pareto's Principal) of the agents that were responsible for 80% of the absenteeism issues. Once our disproportionate contributors were isolated, our third step was to create and administer a blanket "Verbal Warning". It outlined how many days that rep specifically had missed, the expectation, and that failure to improve could result in further action up to and including termination.

This type of approach was new for both the reps and supervisors alike.

I was dealing with an entire population that was not used to any form of accountability. I walked my sups through the steps on how to communicate an unpopular message, and then dispersed them to the four corners of the earth to take the message, and the verbal warnings to the front-line.


Agent Reaction…

Some signed, some refused, and others felt that this was action was heavy handed and completely unjustified.

As the process continued, my expectations were high, and my supervisors were feeling the heat.


A new method…

Soon after the initiative was launched, I was sitting at the receptionist desk making a phone call when I saw one of our repeat offenders come walking in.

This guy had continued to miss work despite our best efforts, and his actions needed to be addressed. I motioned for his supervisor to come over, and directed him to address the issue. He agreed. I was thinking progressive action, suspension, or something along those lines, but the supervisor had an idea all of his own.

When the rep walked in the door, the sup called him by name, and asked him where he had been. The rep smiled, and made a weak attempt at an excuse. The sup then reached out, and brutally grabbed the rep in a full-head lock. The rep tried to smile through the headlock, as the sup marches him through the site to the back conference room.
Still on the phone, I thought, “Now that’s a different way to address performance issues.”