A Recommendation Report

on
Workplace Absenteeism
________________________________________

Prof. A Alfaro
 Recommendation Report
• A recommendation report proposes a solution to a problem or
evaluates possible solutions and recommends one. Before
proposing or recommending a solution, the report needs to
identify the problem.
• What to say and how to say it
 What to include?
• A recommendation report is a detailed report that a writer submits to a
reader or group of readers who have the authority to endorse or reject
the plan, such as:
• Department heads
• Managers
• Elected officials
• Civic leaders
 Readers/Audience

• Direct the report to the decision-makers

• Envision the report read by others in the organization
• Explain the report so that everyone can understand it
 Format
Use the report format. Include the following sections:
I. An Introduction – provides background information about the issue/subject
II. A Methodology section- reports how the issue will be solved
III. The Literature Review- includes current knowledge, theories related to the
issue or topic
IV. Recommendations- helps readers transform findings into actions
V. Analysis of the Pros and Cons- stating the advantages and disadvantage
VI. Conclusion- summarize the main points of the evidence for the readers
 Introduction
• Like any other company in the city, Philippine Long Distance
Company (PLDT) is experiencing a serious problem with
attendance. This has been cited as a problem and something that
needs to be addressed so that PLDT can achieve the attendance
rate they need to deliver better services to their clients. Currently,
the employees’ attendance is averaging around 90 percent. The
rate needs to increase to 97 percent for the company to achieve
better performance in customer’s service.
Continuation…

• Attendance is an important part of employees’ everyday

responsibilities, and poor attendance habits cause lifelong
consequences. This problem needs to be addressed in order to
maintain the company’s reputation as one of the leading service
providers in the country. Changes in the attendance program of
PLDT are needed, and the following report is intended to
propose tactics for increasing the attendance rate at PLDT
(ADD MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE COMPANY)
 Possible Questions to the Interviewee:
• What is your present position in the company? What does your job entail?
• How long have you been in your present position? How do you find your
job?
• What challenging workplace issue have you handled so far? Can you tell us
something about this issue?
• How does this issue affect your own organization and the company as a
whole? (You can use these as sample questions)
 Methodology
• To complete this report, we interviewed Mrs Dela Rosa, a CEO from
PLDT to get an idea on how workplace absenteeism affect the
company and what strategies does the company implement to increase
the employee attendance. We prepared questions for the data
gathering. We also searched scholarly databases to find relevant articles
on the problem of increasing attendance. These articles outline several
solutions to increase/improve attendance in several local and multi-
national companies in the Philippines. (ADD MORE DETAILS)
 Possible Questions:
• How did you learn about the existence of this workplace issue?
• What was your initial step in confronting the problem?
• What particular methods did you arrive at to solve the problem?
• Did you try to solve the problem in your own capacity or did you seek help
from others?
• What was the outcome of your action?
 Review of Literature
• This review of recently published literature on attendance addresses causes,
effective policies, and rewards and incentives to increase employee
attendance. This also includes the information provided by the interviewee.
 Possible Questions:
• What are some of the specific principles about leadership and management
that you consider in trying to solve the problem?
• Whom do you consider as your leadership and management icon/model that
you look up to?
• What about your personal readings that are related to the problem at hand?
• How did all these things help you manage and solve the problem?
 Literature1: Causes of Absenteeism
• All the literature agrees that absenteeism is an all too common problem for
companies around the country. This can be traced to a range of causes from
poor workplace environment to low salaries. According to John Doughtery
(2010), poor workplace conditions play a key role in absenteeism. Richard
Sutphen (2012) cites that salary is also an important reason why employees
prefer to just stay home rather than go to work.
 Literature2: Effective Policies
• As companies seek new programs and ideas for increasing workplace
attendance, two of the most frequently mentioned tactics in the literature
are having an effective attendance policy and increasing communication with
the employees to listen to their concerns
 Literature 3: Rewards and Incentives
• Research has shown that attendance increases when companies incorporate
incentive programs into their attendance policies.
 Literature 4: Punishments/Consequences
• Most authors agree that absenteeism has negative consequences for
employees, and society.
 What should recommendation do?
• Help your readers transform findings into actions, by
recommending them to:
• Perform certain action
• Choose from various strategies, methods, or options
• Analyze/discuss the pros and cons
 Recommendations
• Create a clear and fair attendance policy that is up to date and communicate it.
• Increase communication with employees
• Discuss the importance of attendance at conferences or through e-mails
• Involve the community and local businesses by coordinating with them in incentive
programs such as gift certificates and food coupons.
• Review the salary scheme and provide salary increase if better attendance is
achieved. (PROVIDE AT LEAST 5 RECOMMENDATIONS)
 Possible Questions:
• What are the guiding principles that you observe in writing
recommendations?
• Based on the problem being discussed what were the significant
recommendations did you propose?
• How did you evaluate and assess each recommendation?
• Among the recommendations, which did you consider as the best option that
eventually solved the workplace issue you encountered?
 Analysis of Pros and Cons
PROS
• Recommendation 1
1. Review the salary scheme and
provide salary increase if better
attendance is achieved
a. Employees will be very happy to
welcome the good news
b. At least they will try not to incur
absences
CONS
a. The company’s expenses will
increase and lessen the cash reserves
b. The company might implement
strict rules on attendance such as No
Work No Pay Policy
 Possible Questions:
• What special considerations do you apply in choosing the best solution to the
problem?
• Did you encounter negative feedbacks regarding your action and decision?
If yes, how did you convince the people who were not favourable to your
decision? If no, how did you complement yourself for the good job?
 Conclusion
• In closing, absenteeism is not only a problem for PLDT but the
problem is growing for all companies across the country. Based
on our research we have made these recommendations and we
feel sure that they will go a long way in helping to increase
attendance at PLDT or, in fact any company that is willing to
implement these simple procedures within their system. (ADD
MORE DETAILS)
 Possible Questions:
• After the implementation of your decision, what are the significant changes
and improvement that you can now see in your department?
• Can you describe to us the reactions of the people under you and what about
the new scenario happening now in your organization?
 Introduction

Drunken driving has been posing great danger on the streets. Drunk
drivers are making the streets unsafe for pedestrians, other drivers,
and for themselves. This problem was discovered when the
members of the Universal Safe Driving Committee experienced it
themselves. While on their way to the office, their driver was
surprised when a fast speeding truck hit the bumper of their car.
They almost collided with another car opposite their lane. The car
lost its track and they almost died in that incident. It was then they
realized that they have to do something about the problem.
 Method
• They researched on the cases of drunken driving deaths in Manila. Based on
records, there were 980 drunken driving deaths in Manila last year.
• The following stats represent the total Manila auto accidents fatalities in 2015
and 2016 and the percentage of car crash deaths that involved a driver who
had .08% blood alcohol content or higher.
• 2015 2016

• Deaths 1,088 980

• Percent 28% 29%

 Related Literature

• . Millions of people worldwide do it. Many say “What’s the

harm, I got home safely and no one was hurt?”•Just because
you made it home safely to your bed does not mean that
you’re making a right decision. When putting those keys in
the ignition and driving away after drinking you are not only
putting your life at risk but you are risking the lives of all
those you come across while driving.
 Literature 1: Facts and Statistics about Drunk
Driving
• According to 2009 drunk driving statistics there were 10,839
traffic fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. This is those
whose lives were lost not the total number of alcohol related
accidents, or the number of individuals arrested for drinking and
driving.
• Is drinking and driving more important than your legal status or
life? Take a cab, protect yourself as well as others on the
roadways, don’t become another drinking and driving statistics.
 Literature 2: Effects of Alcohol in Decision
Making
• Alcohol affects you in a way that changes your judgement, depth
perception as well as vital motor skills required to drive safely. Its
easy to think you are driving normally when truly you are not.
• Operating a motor vehicle while sober can be difficult in itself,
adding alcohol or other intoxicants into the mix is putting your
life and the lives of others on the roadways at risk. Make the right
choice and put your keys down.
 Literature 3: Legal Repercussions of Drunk
Driving
• The sound of a siren, the red flashing lights and a person in uniform
knocking at your driver side window. An officer has pulled you over for
suspicious driving. If the officer smells a strong odor of alcohol, you exhibit
slurred speech or general incoherence you will be asked to exit your vehicle
and move to the side of the road where you will undergo field sobriety
testing.
• Failing these tests will result in a ride in the back of a police car, a night in jail
and charges You are now facing the legal repercussions of drinking and
driving.
 Recommendations
On behalf of the Universal Safe Driving Committee, we would like to present the
following in recommendations to keep drunk drivers off the streets of Manila.
* Manila Police Department should recruit more police officers and get them on the
streets of Manila to keep the drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.
* The punishment should be increased. Drivers should pay a fine of 3000 for a 1st
offense. For a 2nd offense, there should be a fine of 5000 and a suspended license. A
third offense should result in a fine of 7000, a suspended license, and possible jail time
for
 Analysis of Pros and Cons

Pros Cons
 Conclusion
• The solution to this problem does not just rest in the hands of
law enforcement to find these violators and prosecute them but
within each and every person to make the conscious choice not to
drink and drive. There is always a better option. Keep the
roadways safe along with your loved ones and the loved ones of
others by not drinking and driving.