Sunny Skies and High Temperatures Have Employees Suffering from Seasonal Absence Syndrome

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(EON:Enhanced Online News)--As temperatures begin to rise, so may unscheduled absences in the workplace. Today, the Workforce Institute™ announced the findings of a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive® and sponsored by Kronos® Incorporated (Nasdaq: KRON). According to the “Summer Absenteeism” survey, an overwhelming 39 percent of employees working full time have called in sick to work to enjoy a day off during the summer vacation season. The survey of 1,077 U.S. employed adults suggests that Seasonal Absence Syndrome (SAS), or employees calling in sick to enjoy a day off, fuels the issue of employers balancing the needs of employees and the business.

“Because today’s workplace is dynamic and constantly evolving, organizations must implement programs and strategies to support this change. The dramatic shift in how sick time is being used by employees is just one example”

With the arrival of summer, approximately 30 percent of employees may call in sick this season to enjoy a day off. This startling finding validates that SAS is a huge issue for employers. The “Summer Absenteeism” survey uncovered the drivers behind SAS and explored how employers can curb the problem. When asked why they call into work sick to enjoy a day off, the most-cited responses were: I needed a mental health day; the weather was great and I wanted to enjoy the day; and my workload is heavy so I spontaneously take time off when I can. As employees look for ways to extend their weekend, the most popular days to call in sick are Friday and Monday.

The survey also suggests that SAS can have a negative impact on all employees in the workplace. Some employees agreed that when employees call in sick when they are not really sick it impacts their productivity because there are fewer people to get the work done and it sets a precedent that encourages other employees to call in sick when they are not ill. The survey also identified strategies employers can adopt to curb the issue of SAS. Full-time employees suggested establishing “summer Fridays” or enabling employees to take a half or full day off on Fridays during the summer season. Other popular responses included providing more flexibility at work such as telecommuting, compressed work weeks; and flex-time, as well as providing employees with Paid Time Off (PTO) programs that give employees a bank of time to use at their discretion.

Sick time an outdated benefit

According to “Sick at Work”, another recent study sponsored by Kronos, an overwhelming 98 percent of employees working full time have gone to work when they were sick. This information, coupled with the “Summer Absenteeism” survey results, illustrates the growing trend that employees are forcing the evolution of sick time use in the workplace. In fact, the recent abuse of sick time may compel organizations to consider this an archaic employee benefit.

“Because today’s workplace is dynamic and constantly evolving, organizations must implement programs and strategies to support this change. The dramatic shift in how sick time is being used by employees is just one example,” said Jim Kizielewicz, vice president of corporate strategy at Kronos Incorporated. “With five different generations in the workforce, organizations can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to benefits. Best practice organizations are implementing innovative programs to overcome the generational gap in today’s workforce.”

Survey Methodology

A survey of 10 questions was conducted by Harris Interactive via its QuickQuery^SM online omnibus on behalf of Kronos Incorporated from April 13-17, 2007 among 2,021 U.S. adults (aged 18 and over), among whom 1,077 were employed full time. An additional question was asked among 2,409 U.S. adults using the same screening criteria from April 18-20, 2007. For each wave, figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

With a pure probability sample of 2,021 and 2,409, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results would have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. Sampling error for data based on sub-samples would be higher and would vary. However, that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world’s largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiaries Novatris in France and MediaTransfer AG in Germany, and through a global network of independent market research firms. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.

About Kronos Incorporated

Kronos Incorporated empowers organizations around the world to effectively manage their workforce. At Kronos, we are experts who are solely focused on delivering software and services that enable organizations to reduce costs, increase productivity, improve employee satisfaction, and ultimately enhance the level of service they provide. Kronos serves customers in more than 50 countries through its network of offices, subsidiaries, and distributors. Widely recognized as a market and thought leader in managing the workforce, Kronos has unrivaled reach with more than 30 million people using a Kronos solution every day. Learn more about Kronos at www.kronos.com.

© 2007 Kronos Incorporated. Kronos and the Kronos logo are registered trademarks and Workforce Institute is a trademark of Kronos Incorporated or a related company. All other product and company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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