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      What is the Bradford Factor?

      Bradford Factor, absenteeism

      What is the Bradford Factor?

      The Bradford Factor is a formula used by organizations to measure the impact of an employee’s absenteeism, focusing primarily on short-term absences that are more disruptive to business operations compared to long-term absences. It quantifies the effects of frequent short-term absences and helps employers identify patterns in employee attendance that may require intervention.

      How is the Bradford Factor Calculated?

      The formula for calculating the Bradford Factor is:

      B = S² × D

      Where:

      • B is the Bradford Factor score.
      • S is the number of instances of absence (e.g., the number of times the employee has been absent).
      • D is the total number of days absent during the same period.

      This formula gives more weight to frequent, short-term absences. As the number of separate absence instances increases, the Bradford score increases dramatically, making it a useful tool for measuring the disruptive impact of absenteeism.

      Example Calculation:

      • If an employee has 4 instances of absence and a total of 6 days off:
        • S = 4, D = 6
        • Bradford Factor = 4² × 6 = 16 × 6 = 96

      How HRLocker Uses the Bradford Factor

      In HRLocker, the Bradford Factor is calculated using absences that are categorized as Sick Leave. Each time an employee takes sick leave, it will factor into the overall score, helping managers and HR teams monitor patterns of short-term sick leave more closely. The system does not include other types of leave, such as annual leave or maternity leave, ensuring that the calculation focuses solely on instances of sick leave.

      Interpreting Bradford Factor Scores:

      • Low Scores: Indicate few, longer absences, generally less disruptive to operations.
      • High Scores: Reflect frequent, short-term absences, which can be highly disruptive and may warrant further investigation.

      Use of the Bradford Factor in HR Management:

      HRLocker allows managers to monitor absenteeism using the Bradford Factor to assess the potential impact on productivity:

      • Threshold Triggers: When an employee’s Bradford Factor reaches a certain threshold, it may trigger a review or conversation with the employee.
      • Fair Assessment: By focusing only on sick leave, HRLocker ensures the Bradford score is used fairly and consistently, without penalizing employees for other types of leave.

      Conclusion:

      The Bradford Factor is a valuable tool for tracking and managing absenteeism, particularly when used to monitor short-term sick leave. HRLocker leverages this tool to help organizations manage employee attendance efficiently while ensuring that it focuses solely on instances of sick leave to provide a clear and fair assessment of employee absenteeism patterns.