Use this template to address attendance issues fairly with clear improvement targets.

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Attendance Improvement Plan

Confidential

Detail	Information
Employee Name
Position
Department
Manager
Plan Start Date
Review Period	[Typically 8-12 weeks]
Plan End Date
HR Representative

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Section 1: Purpose of This Plan

Why has this plan been put in place?

Your attendance record over recent months has fallen below acceptable standards. This Attendance Improvement Plan is designed to:

• Clearly identify the attendance concerns
• Set expectations for improvement
• Understand any underlying causes
• Provide support where appropriate
• Monitor attendance going forward
• Explain the consequences if attendance doesn't improve

This plan is:

[Select appropriate:]

• Informal stage - early intervention to address concerns
• Formal stage following informal discussions
• Part of formal capability/disciplinary procedure at [first written warning / final written warning] stage

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Section 2: Attendance Record

Summary of Attendance Issues

Review period: [From date] to [to date] - Total: [X] weeks/months

Metric	Your Record	Company Standard/Average	Status
Days absent	[X] days	[X] days acceptable	Above/Below
Occasions of absence	[X] occasions	[X] occasions acceptable	Above/Below
Instances of lateness	[X] times	[X] acceptable	Above/Below
Unauthorized absence	[X] days	0 expected	-
Short-term absences	[X] occasions	-	-
Attendance rate	[X]%	[95%] expected	-

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Detailed Absence Record

Absences in review period:

Dates	Days Lost	Reason Given	Certified/Self-Cert	Pattern Notes
[Date]	[X]	[Reason]	[Y/N]
[Date]	[X]	[Reason]	[Y/N]
[Date]	[X]	[Reason]	[Y/N]

Total working days lost: [X] days out of [Y] possible working days = [Z]% absence rate

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Lateness Record

Instances of lateness:

Date	Minutes Late	Reason Given	Notice Provided
[Date]	[X] mins	[Reason]	Yes/No
[Date]	[X] mins	[Reason]	Yes/No
[Date]	[X] mins	[Reason]	Yes/No

Total instances: [X] in [timeframe]

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Pattern Analysis

Have any patterns been identified?

• Frequent short-term absences (1-2 days)
• Monday/Friday absences
• Absences following weekends/paydays
• Frequent lateness at start of shift
• Absences during busy periods
• Recurring health condition
• No clear pattern

Pattern details:

[Describe any patterns observed - e.g., "8 out of 12 absences were Mondays" or "Frequent 1-day absences for minor ailments"]

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Section 3: Impact of Absence

How has this absence/lateness affected:

The team: [Impact on colleagues - covering work, increased workload, team morale]

Service/operations: [Impact on customers, service delivery, productivity, deadlines]

Cost to business: [Overtime costs, temporary cover, lost productivity]

Your role: [Uncompleted work, handover issues, lost development opportunities]

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Section 4: Underlying Causes

Have we discussed reasons for the attendance issues?

Employee's Explanation

[Record employee's explanation for absences/lateness]

Possible Contributing Factors

• Ongoing health condition (specify if disclosed): _________________
• Disability or condition covered by Equality Act
• Work-related stress or issues
• Caring responsibilities
• Transport/travel difficulties
• Domestic circumstances
• Genuinely unrelated short-term illnesses
• No underlying cause identified/disclosed
• Conduct issue (unauthorized absence, poor timekeeping)

Health concerns:

Has employee disclosed any health issues affecting attendance?

• No health issues disclosed
• Ongoing health condition disclosed: [Brief note]
• Possible underlying health issue - OH referral recommended
• Disability that may require reasonable adjustments

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Section 5: Occupational Health Referral

Is Occupational Health referral appropriate?

• Yes - referral made on [date]
• Yes - will be arranged
• No - not needed at this stage
• Employee declined referral

If referring to Occupational Health, we will ask:

• Is there an underlying medical condition affecting attendance?
• Is the employee fit to continue in their current role?
• Are there any reasonable adjustments we should consider?
• What is the prognosis for attendance improvement?
• Are there any work-related factors affecting health?

OH appointment date: [Date if known]

We will reconvene after OH report is received.

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Section 6: Attendance Standards Required

From [start date], the following attendance standards must be met:

Absence Target

Maximum acceptable absence: [X] days / [Y] occasions in the next [8/12/16] weeks

[Set realistic but firm target based on role and circumstances]

Examples:

• "No more than 3 days absence (or 2 occasions) in the next 12 weeks, except for pre-approved hospital appointments"
• "Absence rate to reduce to below 5% over next 8 weeks"
• "No unauthorized absence"

Punctuality Target

Lateness standard: [Specific expectation]

Examples:

• "No late arrivals without advance notice and valid reason"
• "Maximum 2 instances of lateness (< 10 minutes) in next 8 weeks, with notice given"
• "Arrive on time for all shifts"

Notification Requirements

When absence or lateness is unavoidable:

• When to notify: [e.g., Before shift start time / By 9am / At least 2 hours before]
• How to notify: [e.g., Call manager directly / Ring office / Specific number]
• Who to notify: [e.g., Direct manager, duty manager, HR]

NOT acceptable: Text message only, email only, asking colleague to pass message

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Section 7: Support and Adjustments

Support we will provide:

If Health-Related

• Occupational Health assessment arranged
• Flexible start times considered: [Details]
• Phased return after absence if needed
• Reasonable adjustments: [Specific adjustments if disability applies]
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Regular welfare check-ins

If Conduct-Related (Lateness/Unauthorized Absence)

• Clear expectations restated
• Daily sign-in monitoring
• Support with time management/planning
• Review of shift patterns if appropriate
• One-to-one coaching on punctuality

If Circumstances-Related

• Flexible working considered: [Details if approved]
• Shift swap policy explained
• Support with transport/travel issues: [If possible]
• Discussion of caring responsibilities and options

Other support:

[Any other relevant support measures]

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Section 8: Monitoring and Review

How attendance will be monitored:

• Return-to-work interview after every absence
• Weekly attendance report reviewed by [Manager]
• Daily timekeeping records checked
• Monthly one-to-one to discuss attendance

Review meetings:

Review Date	Purpose	Who Will Attend
[Week 4]	Progress review	Employee, Manager
[Week 8]	Mid-point review	Employee, Manager, HR
[Week 12]	Final review	Employee, Manager, HR

What we'll review:

• Absence days/occasions since last review
• Lateness instances
• Reasons for any absence/lateness
• Whether targets are being met
• Impact of any support/adjustments
• Whether improvement is sustained
• Next steps

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Section 9: Expectations

What we expect from you:

• Attend work regularly and on time
• Meet the attendance standards set in this plan
• Follow notification procedures if absence/lateness unavoidable
• Attend all scheduled review meetings
• Engage with support offered (OH, EAP, adjustments)
• Provide medical certificates when required
• Communicate proactively about any difficulties
• Make genuine effort to improve and sustain improvement

What you can expect from us:

• Clear attendance standards and expectations
• Fair treatment and understanding of genuine circumstances
• Appropriate support and reasonable adjustments where applicable
• Regular feedback on progress
• Honest communication about your progress
• Fair consideration if circumstances change

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Section 10: Consequences of Not Improving

If attendance does not improve to the required standard:

[Select appropriate based on current stage:]

If informal stage:

• Move to formal capability/disciplinary procedure
• First written warning may be issued

If already at written warning stage:

• Progress to next stage of procedure
• [If first warning:] Move to final written warning
• [If final warning:] Dismissal may result

Specifically:

If you do not meet the attendance standards set out in this plan, despite support provided, the company may:

1. Progress to [next stage of procedure]
2. Consider whether your attendance record makes your continued employment sustainable
3. Consider termination of employment (with notice or pay in lieu)

Any decision will:

• Take account of reasons for ongoing absence
• Consider Occupational Health advice
• Explore alternatives where possible
• Follow fair procedure including right of appeal

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Section 11: Right to Representation

You have the right to be accompanied at all formal review meetings by:

• A work colleague, or
• A trade union representative

If you wish to be accompanied, inform [Manager/HR] at least 24 hours before the meeting.

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Section 12: Medical Certification

When fit notes are required:

• Any absence over 7 consecutive days (including non-working days) must be covered by a fit note
• Self-certification allowed for absences up to 7 days
• Company reserves right to request fit note for shorter absences if pattern of frequent absence

Where persistent absence continues:

• We may request permission to obtain a report from your GP
• We may refer you to Occupational Health
• We may request medical evidence for absences

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Section 13: Agreement and Signatures

Manager Declaration

I confirm that:

• The attendance concerns have been clearly explained with specific records
• Realistic expectations have been set
• Underlying causes have been explored
• Appropriate support will be provided
• The employee understands the review process and potential consequences
• This process will be conducted fairly

Manager signature: _________________ Date: _________

Manager name: [Print name]

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Employee Declaration

I confirm that:

• The attendance concerns have been explained to me with specific examples
• I understand the attendance standards required
• I understand the support available to me
• I understand the review process and timescales
• I understand the potential consequences if my attendance doesn't improve
• I have been offered the right to be accompanied at formal meetings
• I have received a copy of this plan

My comments:

[Space for employee to add comments, explanations, mitigating circumstances]

Employee signature: _________________ Date: _________

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HR/Witness Confirmation

I confirm this meeting took place and the plan was discussed.

HR/Witness signature: _________________ Date: _________

Name: [Print name]

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Attendance Review Meeting Template

Review Meeting - [Date]

Review type: [Week 4 / Week 8 / Final review]

Attendees: [Names]

Attendance Since Last Review

Metric	Target	Actual	Met/Not Met
Days absent	Max [X]	[Y]	Met / Not met
Occasions	Max [X]	[Y]	Met / Not met
Late arrivals	Max [X]	[Y]	Met / Not met
Notification compliance	100%	[X]%	Met / Not met

Details of Any Absences/Lateness

Date	Type	Duration/Length	Reason	Certificated	Assessment
					Acceptable/Concern

Overall Assessment

Progress summary:

[Manager's assessment of improvement or lack thereof]

Positive aspects:

[Any improvement noted]

Concerns:

[Any ongoing issues or new patterns]

Employee comments:

[Employee's perspective on progress, any challenges, explanations]

Occupational Health Update (if applicable)

OH report received: Yes / No / Awaited

Key findings: [Summary of OH recommendations]

Adjustments implemented: [Details]

Support Review

Is current support adequate?

• Yes, support is working
• Additional support needed: [Specify]
• Adjustments need review: [Specify]

Decision and Next Steps

Overall status:

• Meeting targets - on track for successful completion
• Some improvement but targets not fully met - continue plan
• No improvement - escalate to next stage
• Improvement sufficient - consider ending plan early

Actions:

Action	Who	By When

Next review: [Date]

Signatures:

Manager: _________________ Date: _________

Employee: _________________ Date: _________

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Guidance for Managers

Before Starting an Attendance Plan

Check:

• Have return-to-work interviews been conducted?
• Has informal feedback been given?
• Is the absence excessive compared to workforce average?
• Have you explored underlying causes?
• Is there a potential health/disability issue?
• Is this really conduct (unauthorized absence) rather than capability?

Sickness Absence vs. Conduct

Capability procedure (sickness/health):

• Genuine ill-health absences
• Employee unable (not unwilling) to attend
• Focus on support, OH involvement
• Consider reasonable adjustments
• More sympathetic approach

Disciplinary procedure (conduct):

• Unauthorized absence
• Suspected false absences
• Not following notification procedures
• Persistent lateness without good reason
• Employee able but unwilling to attend
• Sanctions-based approach

Setting Realistic Targets

Good targets:

• "No more than 3 days absence in 12 weeks" (specific, time-bound)
• "Reduce absence rate below 5%" (measurable)
• "Maximum 2 instances of lateness with advance notice" (achievable)

Unrealistic targets:

• "Zero absence" (not reasonable - people get genuinely ill)
• "Never be late again" (too absolute)
• "Improve attendance" (too vague)

Reasonable Adjustments

If disability is a factor, consider:

• Flexible start/finish times
• Working from home when unwell but able to work
• Time off for medical appointments
• Phased return after absence
• Additional breaks
• Modified duties
• Gradual reintroduction of hours

Common Mistakes

• Not exploring underlying health issues before setting targets
• Setting impossible "zero absence" targets
• Treating all absences the same (genuine illness vs. suspected abuse)
• Not involving Occupational Health when appropriate
• Progressing to dismissal without adequate OH input
• Failing to consider disability discrimination
• Not documenting return-to-work interviews
• Inconsistent application across employees

Legal Considerations

• Dismissal for sickness absence must be fair and reasonable
• Consider length of service, nature of illness, prognosis
• Get medical evidence (OH, GP reports)
• Consider alternatives (redeployment, ill-health retirement)
• Be very careful with disability-related absence
• Pregnancy-related absence cannot be counted against employee
• Follow ACAS Code where disciplinary element
• Document everything thoroughly