1. Map the current routine
Before improving anything, it is important to know how absence is registered today. Look at least at:
- which systems are used;
- where handover moments sit between colleagues and departments;
- who is responsible for what;
- which loose spreadsheets and mailboxes play a role.
2. Define the administrative scope
Establish which data is needed administratively. Examples of data that can fit within an administrative registration:
- the employee involved;
- the department or team;
- the start and end date of a notification;
- the administrative status;
- the person responsible for follow-up;
- outstanding administrative actions;
- a contact moment as a process event, without medical content.
3. Keep medical information out of the registration
Diagnoses, medical complaints, treatments, medical notes and causes of illness do not belong in an employer's system. That information belongs with the authorized occupational health service or physician. Set up the registration so that medical information cannot accidentally end up in it either — for example through free-text fields or email attachments.
4. Set up roles and access carefully
Decide in advance who may see and do what:
- who registers notifications;
- who may read data;
- who only sees their own team;
- who manages users;
- how access is revoked on role changes or departure.
5. Record responsibilities
Make explicit which role carries which responsibility in the administrative process:
- HR: central registration and guarding the process;
- the team lead: follow-up within their own team;
- the administrator: users, roles and access;
- management: insight at an aggregated level, without individual details.
6. Check follow-up
A registration is only useful when follow-up works. Check:
- whether outstanding actions are visible;
- whether every action has an owner;
- whether the status is current;
- whether reminders arrive on time;
- whether it is auditable afterwards what happened when.
7. Prepare for digitization
If you are moving to an application such as Absentra, prepare the following:
- the quality of the current data;
- an up-to-date employee list;
- the division into departments;
- which users need access;
- which roles they get;
- a test environment or demo to practice with;
- a clear pilot goal.
8. Evaluate with clear questions
After a period, assess whether the new routine works:
- Does registration take less manual work?
- Are outstanding actions more visible?
- Do team leads understand the interface?
- Are responsibilities clear?
- Is no medical data being entered?