Remember back when you were in school and perfect attendance was a really big deal? When you think about it, why should it be any different today in the workforce? After all, regular attendance is critical to job continuity and productivity. Conversely, a “slacker” is going to have a negative impact on the department, causing resentment and inefficiency.Encouraging perfect attendance with rewards can really boost department morale and output. Here are a few points to consider when implementing a perfect attendance program:

• Recognize that people do get sick! One of the dangers of a perfect attendance program is employees coming in when they’re ill. They can jeopardize their co-workers’ health, and let’s face it: nobody’s terribly productive when they’re fighting the flu. Which brings me to our next point…
• Be realistic about your time frames. If you reward perfect attendance on monthly or quarterly basis, you’re less likely to have “martyrs” dragging themselves to their cubicles when they’re sick. They’ll get another chance at the prize soon enough.
• Keep the prizes small enough to reward multiple employees. Even a $5 Starbuck’s gift card is something employees will appreciate, as well as the personal recognition that their efforts are noticed. If your company has a cafeteria, a voucher for a free lunch is another budget-friendly option. Of course, if you can afford bigger rewards, go for it!
• Take a long-range view. Once you’re tracking monthly or quarterly attendance, you’ll see attendance superstars start to emerge. For those employees who make it a year without a sick day, be generous. They’ve saved your company significant dollars in paid time off. Give them a bigger ticket item or a couple of extra personal days. Cash awards are also big incentives.

However you choose you structure your program, chances are good that you’ll have all hands on deck for more days than before!