Covering for employee absences can cause some of the most deep-rooted and fundamental problems of any environmental services department. However, because these absences are "unexpected,” this is often viewed as just one of those hardships that must be endured. However, the problem can be managed.
An adequate and reliable relief pool of relief employees is required to manage overall assignment coverage appropriately. In lieu of such a pool, managers are forced to choose between at least three inadequate alternatives on a daily basis:
Pull project workers to cover: Poor performance is likely as they are not accustomed to performing the task. In addition, this is the single biggest cause of project calendars are not completed.
Combine two or more assignments into one: "If we need to cover assignment #12, perhaps we can have the EVS Techs assigned to #10 and #11 do their entire areas, and then each pick up half of #12." Although this may not seem too unreasonable a request, it is.
The normal amount of coverage for assignments 10 & 11 are already full, so they end up telling the employees that since they know it's too much to do in one shift, they can just “get the important things.” The end result has multiple drawbacks.
The employee asked to cover both assignments now is relieved of any semblance of accountability, since it is understood that “it can't all be done in one shift.”
Now, instead of one assignment being missed, we will have 3 assignments done with a “lick and a promise,” with unhappy customers at each location.
Each of the two EVS Techs that pitched in to cover, as well as the EVS Tech returning the next night, will have to play "catch up" for that absence, creating even more tension and frustration for the second shift EVS Techs. This problem has wide reaching affects.
Note: A much more fair and valuable approach is to alter the content of the assignments using the “Short Staffed Assignments” in the Daily Assignment Module. See Daily Assignments – Short Staff Assignments.
Utilize overtime hours: In using overtime hours, we garner the help of an employee who is already tired, and more likely to give us sub-standard performance, and we pay them 50% higher wages.