The Bradford Factor as a Process for Managing
Workplace Absence
Calculating the Bradford Factor
The Bradford Factor is a Human Resources tool used by many organisations to measure and identify areas of absenteeism. The theory is that short, frequent and unplanned absences are more disruptive than longer absences.
It is based on the fact that it is normally easier to make arrangements to cover for staff who are going to be off for long periods, and who are more likely to be suffering from a genuine illness.
Employees taking odd, unplanned days off here and there actually cause more disruption to the business. If this pattern is repeated regularly, the employee will have a high Bradford Factor score; which may raise questions about how genuine the illness actually is.
The formula for the Bradford Factor is:
E x E x D = Bradford Factor Score
Where E is the number of episodes of absence and D is the total number of days absent in a rolling 52 week period.
So, for employees with a total of 10 days absence in one year, the Bradford Factor score can vary enormously, depending on the number of episodes of absence involved. For example:
One absence episode of 10 days is 10 points (i.e. 1 x 1 x 10)
Five absence episodes of two days each is 250 points (i.e. 5 x 5 x 10)
Ten absence episodes of one day each is 1,000 points (i.e. 10 x 10 x 10)
How do organisations use the Bradford Factor?
There are no set rules for using the Bradford Factor; it is down to each organisation to determine the ways in which it uses the score.
However, used effectively, the Bradford Factor can reduce absenteeism dramatically, serving as a deterrent and a method for tackling persistent absenteeism.
Studies have shown that by educating staff about the Bradford Factor, and then showing them their score on a regular basis, absenteeism can be reduced by over 20%. This is largely down to staff understanding that taking the odd day off here and there will quickly multiply their Bradford Factor score. The Bradford Factor places a value on the absence which an employee can clearly see. Where the absence is not absolutely necessary, this can serve to deter absenteeism.
When this is used in conjunction with a points system the Bradford Factor can be effectively utilised to deter unnecessary absenteeism.
For example the Bradford Factor can be utilised by creating “triggers” whereby certain actions are taken when an employee’s Bradford score reaches a certain point. For example, the UK Prison Service has used the following triggers:
- 51 points – verbal warning.
- 201 points – written warning
- 401 points – final warning
- 601 points – dismissal
Setting these triggers is entirely dependent on the organisation using the Bradford Factor. It is usually advisable to use the Bradford Factor as one of a number of absence policies, however, setting these triggers and making staff aware of them, in addition to taking action, resulted in the Prison Service reducing absenteeism by 18%.
By implementing mandatory procedures for tackling absenteeism across an organisation led by the Bradford Factor, an organisation can remove the potential for differences across teams and management and remove the difficulties and reluctance that line managers often face when having to discipline a close staff member.
The Bradford Factor can provide organisations with a two-pronged method for tackling absence: proactively deterring absence in the first place, and utilising a set procedure to identify and tackle persistent absenteeism.
Implementing the Bradford Factor
Calculating the Bradford Factor for one member of staff over a given period is not a difficult proposition. However, calculating the Bradford Factor over a rolling 52 week period, across multiple teams and locations and considering different types of absence is a very difficult task.
As a result of the exponential nature of the formula {E x E x D}, even the slightest mistakes in calculation can result in a wide variance of an employee’s Bradford Factor score.
For example:
For an employee who has had 10 days off in a year in total, on two separate occasions:
2 X 2 X 10 = 40 {which does not trigger a warning – fewer than 50}
However, if their absence is either not recorded correctly, or is calculated wrong by just one day:
3 X 3 X 10= 90 {which does trigger a warning – over 50}
You can see that their score is more than double, despite the small mistake. Getting the formula the wrong way round can have even more significant results:
10 X 10 X 2 = 200 {which would trigger disciplinary proceedings – over 200}
If an organisation wants to tackle absenteeism effectively, using the Bradford Factor, including using an employee’s Bradford Factor score in potential disciplinary proceedings, then the process for calculating the Bradford Factor has to be full proof, consistent and equal.
To achieve this, an organisation will need to ensure:
- absence reporting and monitoring is consistent, equal and accurate both over time and across the whole organisation
- the calculation of an employee’s Bradford Factor score is based on these accurate, equal and updated absence records
- management and staff have access to updated Bradford Factor scores.
Without these processes in place the calculation of the Bradford Factor is extremely difficult and time consuming. In addition to this; unequal processes for reporting and calculating the Bradford Factor could be discriminatory; everyone’s Bradford Factor score should be subject to the same, indisputable criteria.
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