According to the chartered institute of personnel and development the term was first coined due to its supposed connection with research undertaken by the bradford. The bradford factor is a useful tool for managers to assess individuals within their teams and compare relative attendance scores. Why we dont promote the bradford factor engage absence. Ensure absence policies are followed in line with bradford factor score thresholds with specialised trigger points. What about having a budget for health and not just sickness. Calculating absence using the bradford factor the bradford factor is a formula that attaches more significance to an individuals number of periods of absence than the days of absence taken in a 12month rolling period. The triggers feature also functions in relation to the bradford factor index, which is built into our absence management software. Keep employees informed of their absence indicator points and, when a trigger has been met, take appropriate steps in line with the policy and procedure. Bradford factor calculator you can calculate an employees bradford factor using the bradford formula, which is s 2 x d b. The bradford factor bf is a recognised way of monitoring individual sickness absence on an ongoing basis. Recording absence levels allows for data to be measured and compared internally and externally. Attend the management of sickness absence workshophr policy development workshops and keep up to date with policy developments.
Keeping your sickness and absence management easy to understand. How to use the bradford factor and why you shouldnt bother. Draft sickness absence management policy and procedure. It gives you complete visibility into trends and patterns to help minimize disruption and improve policy enforcement decisions, workforce deployment and overall performance. Flexibility in absence management with the bradford factor. The score is shown on an individuals electronic personnel file, as shown below. Alternatives to bradford factor for measuring absence the. For example, the bradford factor might be used which is useful to highlight frequent, short term absence. Bradford factor uses both total time lost, and frequency of absence, to calculate a score that can indicate how disruptive specific employee absence patterns are for your organisation. By using this site, you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy. The bradford factor or the bradford formula is a simple formula that calculates a score for each employee based on absence patterns.
The bradford factor is a neat mathematical formula for calculating absence levels and triggering management action. The bradford factor is a simple mathematical approach to providing a benchmark for employee absence over a defined period typically a year. Using bradford factor triggers as the sole trigger for action could mean that instances could occur where appropriate action is required a lot sooner than the bradford factor would suggest. The bradford factor calculation is usually based on a set period which could be 52 weeks or a rolling 365 days calculation, and so the score may well change from daytoday, as old absences drop off and new ones are added.
The research was originally conducted in 1980 by the bradford university school hence the name bradford factor. Bradford factor is popular especially among workplaces where short term absence is the prevalent issue. Use our online bradford factor calculator to calculate the bradford factor. The bradford factor is a formula that attaches more significance to an individuals number of periods of absence than the days of absence taken in a 12month rolling period. Just enter the total number of instances of absence and a total number of days of absence of in this bradford sickness score calculator, the tool will fetch you the factor value within fractions of seconds. If i start a new job will this bradford factor and my historic absence figures carry over. Your employees need to be aware about how their sickness absence is managed. In human resources management, the bradford factor is a calculation used to generate an absence score for individuals based on employee absence data. Is it fair to use the bradford factor so, is the bradford factor fair. The avensure absence management system is configurable to work with your hr policies. The theory is that short, frequent, and unplanned absences are more disruptive than longer absences. The bradford factor is a simple formula that lets you monitor employee absenteeism over a set period, such as the current business year.
Use citrushrs online hr software to quickly spot suspicious absence patterns. In this article, well show you how to use the bradford factor, explain bradford. The bradford factor or bradford formula is used in human resource management as a means. Employers staff absence policies should be carefully documented and communicated to staff. Our guide to the bradford factor is one of the most visited pages on our website, and it seems to create a lot of uncertainty so i thought id help clarify what it is, how it can be used, and how to calculate an individual. It is focused on targeting frequent shortterm absence, based on the principle that this type of absence is more disruptive to the workplace. Number of spells x number of spells x days lost the continue reading why we dont promote the. Draft sickness absence management policy and procedure 1. Bradford factor score in natural hr our hr software can be used to calculate a bradford factor score based on unauthorised time off, over a timeframe that you specify.
It is a mathematical trigger, meaning everybody gets the same treatment, and personal opinion is put to one side. Alternatives to bradford factor for measuring absence. Whether you are in hr or an employees line manager, you can monitor bradford factor scores automatically using configurable absence trigger alerts and management reports. Scope the councils sickness absence management policy and procedure samp applies to all employees and forms part of the contract of employment. The bradford factor is a mathematical formula that calculates a score based on absence patterns. May 05, 2016 some staff will be aware that they have a bradford factor score, indeed it is built into activ absence. How to leverage the bradford factor to get a grip on. As an alternative, managers could be taught how to view absence as an opportunity to identify early signs that their employees have an issue. Our hr software can be used to calculate a bradford factor score based on unauthorised time off, over a timeframe that you specify.
Understand what the bradford factor is, its legal implications, what other metrics youll need and how to build a business case for an effective absence management solution. Reports are available for all staff allowing employees to report on their own sickness, managers to report on their teams sickness and hr to report organisation wide data. Short term absences are often considered more disruptive than long term absences, due to the fact that, its often easier to make arrangements to cover an employee who is going to be off for long periods. It is based on the theory that operations in an organization are more affected by short unplanned absences as compared to long and planned absences. The theory evolved that unplanned absences create a disproportionate amount of work disruption. Assess your employees absenteeism with the bradford factor and other formulas. After all, employee absenteeism affects everything from productivity to staff morale. Use the bradford index to calculate repeat employee abscence score using the. The exception to this is those individuals who are under probation, for whom the full procedural arrangements do not apply. Bradford factor software for absence management automate your bradford factor calculations for easy absence management and reporting with myhrtoolkit hr software. Well, yes and no, in my opinion let me explain what i mean. Breathes sickness monitoring software keeps all sick notes and backtowork documents in one place, produces indepth absence reports, and makes automatic bradford factor calculations.
Apr 04, 2017 the bradford factor is just a scale thats it. Your sickness absence policy should be carefully considered, taking into account a wide range of possibilities. Bradford factor resource hub everything you need to know in one place. How much is the bradford factor software costing you. It is important to remember that the bradford factor index is only a guide. In this equation the bradford factor s is the total number of incidents of absence and d is the total number of days of absence of an individual when. Tracking absences the bradford factor is a scoring system designed to help measure the impact of absenteeism on a business. All your business software, working together, in one place, with a single signon. Some staff will be aware that they have a bradford factor score, indeed it is built into activ absence. Visit the access groups resource hub, including a bradford factor. The bradford factor suggests that the impacts of the two workers time off are different.
The bradford factor places a value on the absence which an employee can clearly see. Annual sickness report provides sickness percentage, bradford factor score, length of each sickness occasion and percentage of monday sickness. Just fill in your details here and well be in touch with you trial account details. More specifically, that employee bs absences had a worse impact on your business. Calculating an employees bradford factor is an automated absence management tool already built into activ absence. Calculating absence with bradford score simply personnel. The bradford factor is one way of measuring staff absence.
In the absence of the line manager, sickness may be authorised by the senior manager or hr. What hr needs to know about the bradford factor hr news. In theory contractual or not an employee cant question the fairness of the action taken, where the bradford factor is front and centre of the employers policy and procedure, and it has been applied consistently. Using the bradford index to manage absence 21st april 20 absence 5 comments by jane. Employee b, on the other hand, took one day off per month over a twelvemonth period. Bradford factor calculator online bradford factor calculator. The bradford factor the bradford factor bf is a human resource tool hr tools are almost universally bad for your health and employment that has been around since. Book an online demo activ absence management software. Bradford factor effectiveness is hard to measure without surveying all businesses that use it. However, at honeydew we dont promote its use even though our software, engage, tracks these scores along with many other trigger criteria. Your policy should be a document that all parties can use. Calculating an employees bradford factor is an automated absence. S is the total number of spells instances of absence of an individual over a set period. My current workplace uses the bradford factor to calculate a score for employee absence.
Oct 12, 2017 this is largely down to employees realizing that taking the odd day off here and there will quickly multiply their bradford factor score. Many employers use the bradford factor to track absence and identify problems. For example, three occasions off on a mondayfriday for example would only score 27, but the pattern of absences may warrant earlier management intervention. They can then take a particular course of action in line with their absence management policy or procedure. How to use sickness trigger points to enforce your absence policy. Check whether the employees absences are work related, and if so, explore ways to remove or reduce the factor causing concern. Im not sure if theres any law around that or if its just up to the employer or what. You simply need to know the number of occasions a person was absent and the total days absent. Find out what you need to create an absence management plan. Employers have a responsibility to ensure that staff understand the bradford factor calculator and how it is applied. You now know the advantages and disadvantages of the bradford factor. The bradford factor is a calculation used to assess an employees absence record.
Employers staff absence policies should be carefully documented and. Automate your bradford factor calculations for easy absence management and reporting with myhrtoolkit hr software. Absence management software developers activ absence explain the bradford factor as being like a fuel gauge on your car whereas your car measures your speed, the bradford factor measures absence from work in terms of the impact that absence has on the business. Click here for more information about how we use cookies on our site or read our privacy policy here. In fact, a range of alternatives to bradford factor scoring exist, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Mar 19, 2019 in human resources management, the bradford factor is a calculation used to generate an absence score for individuals based on employee absence data.
The disruption caused by frequent, short term absences is often far greater than that caused by occasional long term absences. As part of our absence management system, myhrtoolkits bradford factor functionality helps managers track employees scores, create reports, and receive automatic messages when scores reach certain. The bradford factor is a simple mathematical approach to providing a benchmark for employee absence over a defined period, typically a year. For the uninitiated, the bradford factor is based on the theory that short, frequent, unplanned absences are more disruptive to businesses than longer periods of absence. Bradford factor stops absence, reduces cost captureit. Absence management software time system computime uk. Factor trigger points, ask yourself what scenarios might arise from that policy. This makes the calculation timeconsuming when performed manually. Digital learning solutions with elearning software from talentsoft. Hr sickness formula the bradford factor what is the bradford factor. This article provides an introduction to the bradford factor, explores the relative merits of the bradford factor as an absence management tool and provides guidance on the development of an absence management strategy and the considerations therein. Bradford factor calculator natural hr hr software online.
Aug 21, 2019 the bradford factor is only a scale to illustrate the impact of short term absence on an organisation. Absence management strategy and the bradford factor. Breathes easytouse absence management software gives you the power to better understand your absence record, identify absence problems, and set about resolving them. It originated in the 1980s when an attempt to understand absenteeism management was undertaken at bradford university school of management. It can act as a clear warning to staff that youre monitoring their absence. Keeping an eye on employee absence is crucial to your businesss success. How to use sickness trigger points to enforce your absence. It is proposed that, if the policy is adopted, the bradford factor scores would be calculated under the new scheme rules to give everyone a bradford score. Where the absence is not absolutely necessary, this can serve to deter absenteeism. Avensure absence is the most flexible absence management software solution on the market today used and loved by businesses from 5 to 5000 employees. The bradford factor is a simple mathematical approach to providing a benchmark for employee absence over a defined period typically a.
At the top right you will find the online bradford factor calculator, which will work out the bradford factor for an employee, using the bradford formula. For instance, you can set triggers for each level of concern an employees score goes above. The bradford factor is designed to alert a business of any patterns of absence by scoring employees absence based on both the length and frequency. If the box shows red, your staffs attendance pattern may be causing disruption to your team. Staff at bradford university school of management made the bradford factoralso called the bradford indexin the 1980s. Bradford factor calculator activ absence management software. The bradford factor holiday scheduler absence management. Use tools to prompt meetings, highlight issues and inform policies. Failures are typically due to poor policy, training, application and interpretation of results. Its the ultimate tool for keeping on top of absence. Sickness absence management software access teamseer. The bradford factor is a formula that calculates the impact of staff absences.
June 2015 v2 bradford factor info pages absence management policy these info pages are to set out clear guidelines for managers and employees of incident management solutions ims on how the use of the bradford factor scoring works in line with our absence management. By utilizing the bradford factor equation, realtime absence management creates an time data profile which tracks every employees attendance records and identifies persistent shortterm absenteeism. Feel free to try this absence calculator to manage your. The bradford factor is generally used by organisations to identify employees with frequent shortterm absences. Is it a good, objective way of choosing when to take action against staff absence. Using the bradford index to manage absence working well. A zero bradford factor indicates complete attendance or no unplanned absence, the higher the bradford factor, the more absence andor repetitions of absence. As part of our absence management system, myhrtoolkits bradford factor functionality helps managers track employees scores, create reports, and receive automatic messages when scores reach certain points.
Sep 29, 2015 is it fair to use the bradford factor so, is the bradford factor fair. The higher an employees score, the more problematic their absence pattern but rather than simply scoring employees based on number of days taken off, the bradford factor calculation adds weight to the number of instances. Detailed statistical information is available while booking absences, this will allow you to keep good staffing levels and ensure that employees cannot take more than their yearly. Internally the data can be used to measure the absence of each employee inline with the absence policy. Your absence management policy and the process provides the framework under which staff and managers can feel informed and consulted during a time of natural uncertainty that any prolonged or regular. Bradford factor the bradford factor is calculated as follows. It is alleged to be named after work undertaken by the bradford university school of management. S is the total number of separate absences, d is the total number of days absence and b is the bradford factor score. Simple to use bradford factor calculator that provides the specific measured rating of absence using the bradford factoring absence scoring mechanism. Much hr software already comes with the bradford factor inbuilt, so you can. B is the bradford factor score s is the total number of spells instances of absence of an individual over a set period d is the total number of days of absence of that individual over the same set period the set period is typically set as a rolling 52 week period.
It is alleged to be named after work undertaken by the bradford university school of. We understand that short, frequent, sickness absences are a major concern for businesses because arranging temporary cover is challenging. The bradford factor or bradford formula is used in human resource management as a means of measuring worker absenteeism. Bradford factor calculator absence management software. Our hr software allows you to download comprehensive reports on staff including individual bradford factor scores in. Its up to you to decide whether you plan to use it with your. The idea is that frequent short and unplanned absences are more harmful to a business than longterm ones, so the higher the employees bradford factor score, the more disruption they are. It places a greater weighting on the frequency, and is best used for scoring individual employees. The bradford factor calculates a score based on the number of times an employee is absent and the number. The bradford factor is also referred to as the bradford formula and the bradford index. Prior to your trial our absence specialists would be delighted to give you free live demonstration of the software to ensure you get the most out of the trial.