How to Create Perfect Employee Attendance Policy: Template to Use in 2024

In this article, you’ll learn all the details of crafting an effective and fair employee attendance policy, as well as get an understanding why such a policy is essential, how it impacts both employees and the business, and get the template of an employee attendance policy that’ll resonate with your company culture and values.

Injuries, illnesses or lack of work ethics result in workplace absenteeism. SHRM “Total Financial Impact of Employee Absences in the U.S.” study established that 75% of responding employers found employee absences to have a moderate to large impact on overall company productivity and revenue.

To minimize employee no-shows, and lateness, and early-outs, employers would be wise to use an attendance policy template that’d be customized to fit their company’s particular values and culture.

An attendance policy is a company document that sets clear expectations about employee attendance, their punctuality, leave, and so on. Such policy is crucial for businesses that want to maximize employee productivity, while promoting individual accountability among the entire workforce of the company.

In today’s article, we’ll dive into the contents of an attendance policy in detail and establish why it is an integral part of any business. We’ll also give you some tips on how to create one and share with you a full employee attendance policy template.

What Is an Attendance Policy?

An attendance policy is a company document that outlines a transparent set of rules regarding employee attendance. This document defines when employees should arrive and leave work as well as how they should register their arrival and exit in order to curb absenteeism and foster a productive working environment.

An employee attendance policy typically includes the following information:

Expectations regarding employee attendance.

The attendance policy covers information on when, where, and for how long employees should be present at work performing their obligations. When it comes to remote employees, the policy defines their work hours as well as their expected availability online on the company-used communication platforms.
Expectations regarding employee punctuality.

The attendance policy provides details on how punctuality is viewed within the company. It also covers the variety of topics, such as valid reasons for employees being late for work or missing deadlines, the extent of tardiness tolerated by the employer, and so on.
Information regarding potential employee penalties.

The attendance policy provides information on the consequences employees will face if they don’t comply with the rules and guidelines detailed in the company’s attendance policy.

A well-thought-out employee attendance policy helps businesses with the following:

Stipulating arrival and departure times from work
Establishing reporting procedures of absences, time-off, and tardiness
Curtailing chronic absences and job abandonment
Laying out time-off and medical leave request procedures
Outlining disciplinary action for potential violations

Small businesses that don’t have an HR department may deem an employee attendance policy as an unnecessary bit of formality. After all, shouldn’t every employee already be aware of their job-related responsibilities? Without any doubt, the answer is yes. But as the business begins to scale or if the need to take on more workers for the busy season arises, a fair attendance policy for employees is crucial to protect both employers and employees and to keep business running as smoothly as possible.

Why Is an Attendance Policy Essential for Any Business?

When it comes to employee productivity, morale, and overall harmony in the team, employers would be wise to take a proactive position. After all, an employee attendance policy isn’t just a preventive measure; it’s a tool for nurturing a workplace of respect, professionalism, and high productivity.

Here are a few things an employee attendance policy can help with:

Standardized Attendance Requirements

A well-crafted employee attendance policy can be a great way to communicate to the employees attendance rules and requirements, regardless of their departments and positions. Once they have well-defined expectations about punctuality, working hours, and time-off procedures, employees will know exactly what’s expected of them, thus feeling a sense of consistency and equity throughout the entire organization.
Reduced Absenteeism

Absenteeism can disrupt workflow, decrease productivity, and put a strain on other employees who remain present at the workplace. A balanced employee attendance policy can address absenteeism by clearly outlining the consequences for unexcused absences, tardiness, and excessive leave. This document also has the capability to promote scheduling PTO and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Additionally, it’s an opportunity for senior management to show their teams how crucial they are to the overall success of the business.
Optimized Productivity & Costs

An effective attendance policy provides a structured framework for managing employees’ schedules, shift rotations, and time-off requests. Managers can easily track employee attendance violations, optimize staffing levels, and facilitate effective resource allocation. All of the abovementioned points can lead to improved operational efficiency, enhanced employee productivity, and better coordination among team members.

Even more, a well-rounded and reasonable attendance policy provides significant benefits for both employers and employees. These benefits include:

Improved consistency. The attendance policy establishes clear and consistent guidelines for all employees. Such consistency helps create a fair workplace, preventing any cases of favoritism.
Enhanced punctuality & productivity. The attendance policy sets expectations for employee punctuality, contributing to a more productive work environment. Employees’ arrival to work on time and their adherence to the schedules positively impact overall workflow and efficiency.
Strict legal compliance. The attendance policy ensures that the company complies with all the relevant federal laws and labor regulations, which becomes tremendous help in avoiding legal issues and potential penalties related to working hours and overtime.
Improved employee accountability. The attendance policy establishes concise attendance expectations and consequences for potential non-compliance, thus encouraging employees to take responsibility for their attendance and punctuality. Such accountability contributes to a more disciplined and professional workplace.
Fair discipline. The attendance policy allows employers to enforce disciplinary actions consistently in cases of employee tardiness or absenteeism. This fairness helps maintain a positive workplace culture.
Efficient workforce planning. The attendance policy allows management to have an understanding when employees are expected to be at work, which in turn promotes better workforce planning. It facilitates the scheduling of shifts, projects, and tasks, helping the company meet its operational goals.
Reduced employee absenteeism. The attendance policy, with its clear expectations and consequences, can contribute to a reduction in unexcused absenteeism, since employees are more likely to adhere to their schedules when they understand the importance of attendance to the organization.
Enhanced employee relations. The attendance policy promotes transparent communication regarding attendance expectations, which fosters trust between employers and employees. Even more, when employees understand the reasons behind attendance policies, they are more likely to comply willingly.
Better employee satisfaction & morale. The attendance policy can contribute to a positive work environment, since when employees consider the attendance policy fair, it can boost job satisfaction and morale.
Effective time & resource management. The attendance policy also allows HR managers to allocate their time and resources more effectively, focusing on strategic initiatives rather than dealing with constant attendance-related issues.
Optimal risk mitigation. The attendance policy can mitigate risks associated with absenteeism, such as disruptions in workflow, missed deadlines, or strained relationships with clients and customers.

What Are Key Components of an Employee Attendance Policy?

Now that you’ve gotten acquainted with the concept of attendance policy and its purpose, let’s focus on some general points that every business should include in their customized attendance policy.

A well-structured employee attendance policy should cover a number of essential components that will aid in effective guiding of employees and managing of attendance-related matters within an organization.

Here are some of the key components to consider:

Working hours. The standard working hours for employees should be outlined in a clear and concise way. The start and end times for each workday, as well as any break periods should be specified.
Attendance expectations. Expectations regarding regular attendance and punctuality should be defined. The importance of adhering to the established work schedule should be communicated.
Time-tracking procedures. The procedures for recording working hours should be detailed and clarified, no matter if it’s through a regular time clock, manual timesheets or designated software.
Overtime policies. If applicable, information on how overtime is defined and the process for obtaining approval before working overtime hours should be provided.
Time-off policies. The process for requesting time off, including the submission of requests and advance notice requirements, should be explained.
Leave policies. The types of leaves available, such as vacation, sick leave, and personal days should be specified. The process for requesting and approving leaves, as well as any documentation requirements should be outlined.
Consequences for tardiness and absenteeism. The consequences for repeated tardiness or unexcused absences should be clearly stated. These could include verbal or written warnings, as well as even more severe disciplinary actions based on the company’s applicable policies.
Reporting procedures. Information on how employees should report their absences or late arrivals should be provided.
Flexible work arrangements. If the company allows for flexible work arrangements, such as remote work or flexible hybrid schedules, the procedures and expectations associated with these arrangements should be outlined.
Communication of policy changes. Establish The process for communicating updates or changes to the attendance policy should be established. Employees need to be informed of any modifications.
Legal compliance. The attendance policy should align with local labor laws and regulations to avoid legal issues.

Employee Attendance Policy Sample

Policy Purpose & Scope

[Company Name]’s employee attendance policy outlines our expectations about our employees’ coming to work. It aims to manage proper operations, increase productivity, and foster a supportive work environment by encouraging regular and punctual attendance among all non-exempt employees regardless of their position.

General Policies

Regular working hours are from [0:00 AM to 0:00 PM], Monday through Friday, with a one-hour [paid/unpaid] lunch break from [0:00 AM to 0:00 PM].
Employees are expected to arrive at the workplace on time, based on their schedule.
Tardiness is defined as being more than [X] minutes late to work without prior [notification, approval, authorization] from a supervisor.
If an employee is unable to come to the workplace, they must notify their supervisor no later than [X hour(s)] before their scheduled start time.
Any unplanned absences or tardiness will be recorded and may be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Planned absences, such as vacations or medical appointments, must be approved by a supervisor within [time period (days/months)].
If an employee is unable to come to work due to illness, they must provide a doctor’s note upon returning to work.
Employees are responsible for monitoring their working hours through [time tracking software.] Diligent recording working hours allows for receiving due payment in full.
This attendance policy may be revised or updated at any time at the discretion of management.

Definitions

Absence:

Excused absence refers to any occasion when an employee misses work for a valid and/or pre-approved reason, such as personal illness, family emergency, or jury duty

Unexcused absence refers to absences taken without prior approval from a manager, such as taking a personal day without asking for authorization first.

Absenteeism refers to frequent absence from job responsibilities when an employee’s rate of absence exceeds the acceptable amount as defined by the company’s attendance policy. This includes not coming to work frequently or taking excessive sick leave without being able to submit doctor’s notes.

Tardiness refers to coming in late than scheduled work shift start time, returning late from a break or constantly leaving earlier from work without reason.

Early departure refers to leaving work before the end of the scheduled shift without a valid reason a prior approval.

Job abandonment refers to failure to report to work for consecutive days without notifying the supervisor or seeking approval.

Leave of absence refers to an extended period of time off work, granted by the employer, which could be paid or unpaid.

No-show refers to instances where an employee fails to show up for their scheduled shift without informing their supervisor.

Good Attendance

Employees who have less than [X] incidents of absenteeism or tardiness throughout the year will receive an additional paid day off for next year. A good attendance record is achieved through:

Having regular attendance;

coming to work at the scheduled shift start time;

leaving work at the scheduled shift end time (with the exception of instances when paid overtime is required);

remaining at work during working hours (excluding breaks);

taking breaks that fall within their expected time length;

notifying a supervisor when the need to be absent or late arises;

providing acceptable reasons for being absent or late.

Employees are responsible for monitoring their working hours through our [timekeeping system/ software.] Please be diligent in recording your hours, so you can receive your due payment.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Full-time employees are eligible for [X] vacation days starting their first full calendar year. Full-time employees who have been with the company for more than one calendar year are also eligible for [X] paid personal days annually. After [X] years of service, full-time employees are eligible for [X] vacation days.

Part-time employees are eligible for [X] paid personal days annually. These personal days may be used for doctor’s visits, sick days, personal appointments, moving, religious observances, etc.

Personal days usually are not approved within the first [X] days of employment. Managers must also approve personal days before a team member takes the time off. The number of personal days allowed resets each calendar year.

Any unused PTO does not carry over to the next year and is lost upon termination of employment. Payment of personal or vacation days in place of taking time off [is // is not] allowed.

Reporting Absences, Tardiness, and Early Departures

[Company Name] expects employees to provide advance notice of planned absences, late arrivals, and early departures when possible. Notifying the manager as soon as possible when an emergency or illness prevents an employee from working as scheduled is also expected.

Below are more specific details on planned and unplanned time off policies.

Planned Time Off

Planned personal days, late arrivals, and early leave must be requested and approved. All these instances should be requested as far in advance as possible, but no later than [X] hours before taking off. An employee should give an at least [X days //weeks]’ notice for vacation days.

Unplanned Time Off

If an unforeseen circumstance occurs and an employee realizes they will not be able to make it to work on time or at all, they need to contact their manager as soon as possible. If they unexpectedly have to leave early because of illness or another emergency, the manager needs to be contacted directly. If the manager does not respond, a human resource manager needs to be contacted. Managers and human resources will confirm that they have received the notification.

If an employee is absent for over one day, they are required to let their manager know when they expect to return to work. The manager may ask for proof of the reason for the absences, such as a doctor’s note listing the dates the employee must remain out of work.

Employees may be asked to stay home until they are well enough to work if they arrive or become ill while on the job.

Excused and Unexcused Absences

Being absent or late because of a medical or family emergency, serious accident or illness, or similar circumstances outside an employee’s control is considered an excused absence. Excused absences and late arrivals aren’t subject to disciplinary action. However, the employee’s manager may ask for proof of the reason behind tardiness, such as a bill from a towing company after a car breakdown.

An unauthorized or unscheduled absence or late arrival without good cause is considered an unexcused absence. Some examples include:

taking a personal day or other PTO without prior approval in non-emergency situations;

taking a religious holiday not covered by the Company without notifying managers first;

taking PTO after the initial request was denied;

leaving work early for personal reasons not related to illness, injuries, emergencies or other similar situations without using PTO or receiving prior approval;

arriving late because of faulty alarm, traffic or weather conditions.

Unexcused and unreported absences are subject to disciplinary action.

Disciplinary Action for Attendance Infractions

[Company Name] takes a progressive disciplinary approach to unexcused, unreported, or excessive attendance issues, such as absences, lateness, and leaving early. [X] instances of attendance policy violations in one calendar year will result in employee termination.

Types of employee disciplinary actions:

Verbal warning: Upon the first and second instances of attendance violation.

Written warning: Upon the third instance of violation.

Disciplinary meeting: Upon the fourth instance of violation.

Final written warning and suspension: Upon the fifth consecutive attendance violation.

Termination.

All attendance infractions reset annually on January 1st.

Job Abandonment

An employee who fails to report for [X] or more consecutive work days without communicating with the supervisor will be deemed to have abandoned a job. Their employment with the Company will be terminated immediately.

Manager Responsibility

You are responsible for monitoring and addressing attendance issues for employees reporting to you. If you notice someone from your team showing excessive absenteeism or being frequently late, set up a private meeting to discuss any challenges preventing them from working as scheduled.

Ask your team member whether they experience issues with their schedule or whether they need help balancing their personal lives with work. Together, you can work to find solutions. Offering flexible hours work from home or time management training options may be possible.

If you perceive a possible mental health issue or feel the assistance needed is beyond your scope or expertise, you may set up a meeting with HR. HR can better direct your team member to the resources they may need.

You should also contact HR and start progressive discipline if you believe your team member is abusing the attendance policy or is intentionally tardy.

Employee Acknowledgement

By signing below, I acknowledge that I have read and understand [Company Name]’s attendance policy.

[Insert lines for signature and date of signing]

Disclaimer: This employee attendance policy template is meant to be used as a reference. It is recommended to have your attendance policy reviewed by an employment lawyer to ensure its compliance with local, state, and federal laws. Neither Kickidler nor the author assumes any legal liability resulting from using this policy.

How to Improve the Employee Attendance Policy?

The template we’ve provided earlier is by no means a definitive answer to a perfect attendance policy, yet it should be able to give you a general idea on how to craft your own. After all, any type of policy always relies on the needs of the business, which is why there can never be a universal attendance policy with a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

At the same time, there are a few things one could consider when putting their own twist to this universal document:

Be specific
Ensure there is no wiggle room for the employees to take advantage of. For example, if the policy states that tardiness is tolerated for up to 15 minutes, employees will take notice and can probably make it a habit of always starting their shift 15 minutes late. In this example, to avoid this mishap, the number of times an employee can be tardy in a period of a week or a month can be specified.
Be fair and unbiased
No one is eager to have to tolerate brutal working conditions. At the same time, it can be completely understandable if a company has strict policies that are closely connected to the business’ prosperity. It’s about making compromises and making sure everyone’s content. For example, if it’s crucial for the company that all employees are at the site no later than 9 am and no tardiness is allowed, this strictness could be compensated by giving employees a longer lunch break (or even extra vacation days).
Make sure everyone understands the policy
It wouldn’t be a reach to suggest that most of us – both employees and employers alike – simply sign documents, skipping reading them altogether. Moreover, the legal jargon might be tough for some people to comprehend and might require additional explaining. That’s why it would be wise for senior management or HR specialists to go over the employee attendance policy with all employees so that everyone can be fully aware of it, understand it one hundred per cent, and focus on their tasks.
Reward compliance
There will surely be employees that follow every policy, guideline, and every imaginable rule in the book. And it would be rather unfair not to reward them for their dedication and hard work. What’s more, the rewards employees could reap from having a perfect attendance record would serve as a motivation for everyone on the team and help improve productivity.

What To Consider When Creating & Implementing the Attendance Policy?

Now that we’ve gotten acquainted with pretty much every aspect of attendance policy, it's time to put these insights into action. Creating an employee attendance policy is just a part of the journey; we shouldn’t overlook the part of its effective implementation as well.

Here are 10 best practices to consider if you want to ensure the employee attendance policy not only looks good on paper but also works effectively in your unique organizational environment:

Understand your company culture
Take into consideration the values, norms, and expectations of your particular business. When you have the attendance policy aligned with your company culture, it is more likely to resonate with the employees, as well as be embraced and followed. Incorporating cultural nuances ensures you create a policy that reflects the unique identity and working environment of your organization.
Provide clear definitions
It’s important for your policy to be as unambiguous as possible. Clearly define what constitutes tardiness and absenteeism, be specific about when and how employees are to inform about absences and what justifications for absence will be considered acceptable. Including examples helps illustrate such matters.
Ensure the policy is accessible
Your attendance policy should be readily accessible to all employees. For example, you could include it in the employee handbook, post it on your company’s internal website, or discuss it with new hires during orientation sessions. Reminding employees of the policy on the regular basis is beneficial as well.
Provide training for management
Managers play a crucial role in enforcing the attendance policy. Provide relevant training in order to ensure they understand the policy and are comfortable addressing any issues that arise. After all, their consistent application of the policy is key to its effectiveness.
Include a process for reporting and addressing grievances
Include a clear procedure in your policy for employees to report any issues or grievances related to attendance, such as disputes over recorded absences, disagreements about penalties, or concerns about fairness. Addressing grievances promptly and transparently helps maintain trust and morale of the employees.
Implement fair practices for all employees
When you are consistent in implementing the policy, it builds trust, fosters a sense of fairness, and minimizes the risk of potential interpersonal conflicts among employees. Attendance policy needs to be applied uniformly across all positions within the organization, and any bias or favoritism when addressing attendance policy-related issues are to be avoided.
Prioritize compliance
Foster a company culture where attendance is valued and recognized as a crucial aspect of both individual and overall organizational success, meaning that everyone – from line specialists up to the CEO – needs to comply. This way, the message that attendance is a shared responsibility is reinforced.
Enforce the attendance policy
Address policy violations promptly and in a fair manner, sticking to the predetermined protocols outlined in the policy. Ensure that managers as well know how to enforce the policy consistently and handle attendance-related issues effectively. Through consistent enforcement of the policy, you demonstrate the company’s commitment to accountability and create a work environment that values attendance and punctuality.
Provide regular training and updates
Train all employees, especially your management, on the intricacies of the policy and its enforcement. Keep your team up to date with any changes in the policy. Provide refresher courses on a regular basis. All of that aids in reiterating the policy’s importance and ensuring alignment across the company.
Utilize effective attendance tracking software
Leverage technology to simplify attendance tracking. Modern employee monitoring software can make tracking attendance more efficient, providing real-time insights and reducing manual errors. Digital approach to attendance tracking can also help in identifying trends and facilitating data-driven decision-making.

How To Establish an Efficient Attendance Tracking System with Kickidler?

An integral part of your attendance policy is the attendance tracking software of your choosing that will help with tracking employee work hours, PTO, breaks, and more.

To create a well-rounded digital attendance tracking system in your company, you can start looking at different solutions that will make this process easier and more time-efficient. And we strongly advise you to check out Kickidler.

Kickidler is a comprehensive employee monitoring solution with a wide selection of employee attendance and time tracking features that provide everything you’ll need to build a system. Its intuitive interface makes time tracking effortless, even for the specialists who aren’t the most tech-savvy.

Kickidler’s rich Attendance capabilities equip management with everything they might need to know regarding employees’ attendance. It shows when employees start and end their workdays, as well as other additional data, such as:

breaks,
total work capacity,
time off,
working overtime.

Time tracking tools in Kickidler include:

real-time monitoring feature that ensures employees’ accountability for spending their working hours in an efficient manner;
work time & productivity analysis that increases employee time-to-productivity ratio through a variety of comprehensive reports, including “Activity History,” “Day’s Details,” “Work Hours” & “Time Sheet” reports, “Rating of Employees”, and so on ;
keylogger (keystroke logging) that helps monitor employee activity during the time they spend at work, thus ensuring transparency of work processes;
violations monitoring that can be configured to have automatic notifications pop up when attendance-related deviations occur (for example, when an employee clocks in late, takes a lengthy break or skips a workday altogether);
employee self-monitoring interface (Autokick) that enables employees to monitor their own attendance habits and correlated productivity metrics, thus increasing their focus and efficiency;
remote access that helps with resolving problems arising on employees’ computers during their working hours.