Absence that is frequent and irregular, or starts to occur in a predictable pattern, warrants further investigation. This might be the result of an underlying illness or problems at home that it would be useful for an employer to be aware of. However, absence can often be the result of problems with the 'psychological contract' employees have with their work.

The psychological contract is a term used to describe how individuals engage with their employment. Like the employee contract every employee signs, there are expectations from both parties, although the psychological contract is unwritten.

Employees expect to have security, be paid adequately, feel part of a team and be treated fairly. Most employees also expect to have work that is, at least in part, interesting. In return for this, people expect to work hard, make a valid contribution at work (in terms of work and socially), follow the rules of the workplace in spirit and letter, and promote the success of their employer.

If an employee does not feel they are getting what they expect from their employer, they may start to become less effective in delivering their side of the psychological contract. They become less likely to 'go the extra mile' to do a good job and their absence record might decline.

Some employees consciously choose to be absent from work without a good reason. Some see sick leave as an extension of their holiday entitlement. Patterns may be noticed in sickness absence that seems to occur predominantly on Mondays or Fridays, or together with a day off. Very often this type of sickness absence is made up of single days. I remember overhearing a shop assistant working for a small chain of pharmacies telling a colleague that she 'had four days holiday and three more sick days to take before the end of the year'. This is probably an extreme example of this type of behaviour.

This situation is a problem of attitude and basic engagement between an employee and their employer. It is more common in groups of workers who do a job with little interest that is less well remunerated. Here the psychological contract is never strongly established from the start. Always ask questions at interview that will help to establish more about a person's attitude to work.