Working is a daily part of the majority of people’s lives. However, the fact of the matter is that sometimes in the work-life balance, certain aspects of life take precedence over work.
As a result, a person may need to take some unforeseen time off of work to handle the situation in their life before returning to the job.
Understanding the most common reasons to be absent from your role, along with how to inform your employer, can help any employee stay on their employer’s good side.
How Common Are Work Absences?
While most people feel some type of guilt or shame in regard to missing work because they believe they are the only person in the world missing a day, it’s important to remind yourself that absences are quite common.
In fact, the average number of work absences in 2022 was 1.58 million per month, amounting to an astounding 19 million for the year.
Best Practices For Informing Your Employer Of An Absence
Given the above information, it’s clear that missing work is certainly acceptable. However, a job is a major responsibility at the same time, especially as you move up in your role, which is why learning how to inform your employer you will be gone is important.
Below are a few best practices to keep in mind when preparing to miss a day of work:
- If possible, give your employer an advance notice or even a text message to let them know
- Provide a reason, but if the reason is something more personal, then just state that
- Set an “out of office” email that lists an alternative contact
- Try to tell your employer roughly how long you will be out of the office
- Gather any information you may need if proving your absence is required
9 Most Common Excuses For Missing Work
With the above tips outlined, it’s worth going over what exactly qualifies as a valid excuse to miss work. Naturally, certain excuses such as sickness are well known already and accounted for in paid time off. However, there are a multitude of other items which may arise. Most notably:
Doctor’s Appointments
Visiting the doctor on a yearly basis is extremely important, and most doctor’s offices are only open during the same hours as your work. For those with ongoing medical ailments, multiple doctor’s appointments may be necessary for a year.
For most employers, hearing the message that a doctor’s appointment is the reason for absence is enough. However, if you are required to present proof which your doctor does not do, consider getting a fake doctors note for work that states where you were.
Bereavement
Nobody wants to experience the death of someone close to them, but unfortunately, this is an inevitability of life. Bereavement time is important and allows a person the proper time to grieve.
Many employees have bereavement time worked into their PTO, but if they do not, an employer should still understand a person missing work due to this reason.
Car-related Issues
Car troubles are unfortunate and often unpredictable, which is why they are a valid excuse for missing work. Unless you have public transportation readily available, you will not be able to get to the place you work.
Simply inform your employer what has occurred and provide them with a photo of your vehicle if it is required.
Personal Emergency
There are some things in life that can come up at any point and which require your immediate attention. Personal emergencies should require little explanation on your behalf when informing your employer you will be missing work.
In fact, this is the only excuse on this list where you don’t need to necessarily inform your employer right away.
Unavoidable Appointments
Finally, there are certain other appointments in a person’s life that just may be unavoidable. Whether it’s for surgery, consultation, therapy, or some other type of visit, simply tell your employer that you have a mandatory appointment.
Mental Health Concerns
We often underestimate our mental health conditions and keep ignoring them. But have you ever thought about its after-effects? Going to your workplace with a frustrated mind never brings productivity. If you are facing emotional troubles, it is suggested to take leaves and stay at home for some days.
As far as the manager’s side is concerned, a good team leader will set examples by prioritizing his employees’ mental health.
Pet Emergencies
There are a handful of instances when our pets need careful attention. And trust us when we say these instances are completely unavoidable. While it might sound a little unprofessional to your boss, taking your pet to the vet is no less than a responsibility.
You might ask for leave in advance if you have a vet’s appointment. A lot of workplaces allow you to use personal time for a routine check-up.
Commuting Issues
A delayed train or bus does not affect our entire day. However, there is no other way except waiting on some days. Inform your manager about such significant issues and that you will join as soon as things get resolved.
You might send them proof justifying your absence from the workplace due to a mode of public transport.
Taking Care Of Your Child
Parents, especially with an infant at home, have to take continuous leaves. It is either their child not sleeping for the whole night or them getting sick. A new parent might ask his/her manager politely for leave when there is no option but to stay home with your kid.
The Bottom Line
Regardless of whether you are a worker putting in the bare minimum of what is required or if you are a workaholic, it’s always important to remember that work is temporary.
When something serious comes up in your life that requires your attention, good employers will understand, whereas bad employers will become annoyed.
Find an employer who understands the importance of balancing work with life if the above common reasons to miss work seem to bother your employer.
