Suppliers acting as Business Partners

Organisations look to specialist absence management providers to help them reduce absence and associated costs. One attraction for the organisation is that it hands over the collection and reporting of absence data to the specialist, leaving it to focus on core business activities.

Yet to make the most significant impact on absence, providers need to go further than simply supplying outsourced absence registration and processing services. They must also be able to act in a consulting role, suggesting practical adjustments that the client can make to improve absence-related policies and procedures. The ability to provide this sort of advice comes from the experience of having working with other clients in similar situations and from the provider developing a deep understanding of the client organisation and its workforce.