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Winter is the peak sick season with employee absence at a high for the year. The cost to the UK economy as a result of sick-leave reached a frosty £12bn in 2006.

Pre-empting a certain amount of sick leave can ease the winter woes caused by staff shortages.

'Allowing' sick-leave where sick-leave is due will help stop the cycle of sickness within one office, as all too often the 'Office Cold' is spread by sick employees returning to work whilst still suffering. When heating is up high, and air circulation is often at its worst, the common cold gets more common by the second as it speads from one employee to the next...

A contingency plan that ensures a productive level of work still occurs could prove well worth its weight when the 'sick season' hits.

This contingency plan not only has to be put in place, but the key is flexibility, married with clear and transparent communication with staff, helping to decrease sickness-induced spats between employee and employer.

One knock-on positive effect from clear communication is that employees will feel their personal circumstances are being taken into consideration, and that they aren't a small cog in a big wheel, however big or small the company they work for is.

One effective component of any contingency plan is having a reliable Temp Recruitment consultant on speed-dial, something that Earlstreet can offer in abundance to ease your winter woes.