One of the hot topics our recruitment team is always asked about in October is how to manage nursery staff sickness in Bristol during the Autumn months.
October to January can be challenging for Early Years settings across the city.
As children return after the Summer and colder weather arrives, coughs, colds and seasonal illnesses quickly make their way through children and staff.
For nursery owners and managers, managing nursery staff sickness in Bristol during these times is essential for maintaining safe staffing levels, supporting Early Years staff and keeping nursery disruption to a minimum.
Some of our top tips when it comes to managing staff sickness in Bristol during the Autumn months include:
A clear staff sickness policy
Ensure that all staff understand the nursery’s sickness and absence procedures. Staff should know who they need to contact and when.
A clear staff sickness policy helps nursery managers in Bristol to respond consistently while also ensuring that staff understand their responsibilities.
Our Clifton Early Years recruitment experts also recommend that nurseries remind their teams about procedures before seasonal illnesses arrive.
Plan for nursery staff absence
Unexpected nursery staff absences during the autumn can make daily staffing difficult, so having a back-up plan is vital. Consider the following questions:
Which qualified staff can provide additional cover?
Do you have suitable agency staff available? (We can, of course, help)
Who is responsible for arranging cover when someone calls in sick?
Are there staff members who can work additional hours if needed?
How will you maintain appropriate staffing levels during staff absences?
Prioritise staffing and safety
One of the biggest challenges when managing staff sickness in childcare settings across Bristol is balancing staff absence with the need to maintain safe supervision and appropriate staffing arrangements and levels.
Avoid relying on stretched employees to cover repeated absences. Consistently operating with a depleted team can contribute to stress, fatigue, further sickness issues, and staff retention problems in the long run.
Review your nursery staffing arrangements in Bristol regularly and make sure everyone understands their responsibilities when changes are required.
Support staff wellbeing
Managing staff sickness in Bristol nurseries isn’t simply about finding cover.
Supporting your team’s wellbeing can also help to create a healthier and more sustainable working environment in an Early Years setting.
Our nursery recruiters in Clifton encourage managers and owners to ensure that their staff take appropriate breaks, communicate about workload, and raise any concerns early.
Managers in Bristol nurseries should also be alert to signs that employees are struggling with workload or workplace-related stress in the Autumn months.
Review your Autumn Absence Plan
October is a useful time for nursery owners in Bristol to review their approach to nursery staff sickness before the Autumn months become more challenging.
Check that your sickness policy is up to date, that your emergency contacts are accurate, and that contingency arrangements are realistic.
We also recommend that nursery managers and owners in Bristol review sickness trends from previous months and years to identify whether there are recurring staffing pressures that need addressing.
If you’re currently experiencing nursery worker shortages in your Bristol Early Years setting, we recommend that you read this.
Providing nursery recruitment in Bristol since 1990
Class Recruit places Early Years candidates with nursery settings in the following parts of Bristol:
Yate, Kingswood, Downend, Speedwell, Keynsham, Lyde Green, Emersons Green, Bradley Stoke, Filton, Horfield, Southmead, Clifton, Redland, Westbury, Stoke Bishop, City Centre, Southville, Bedminster, Knowle, Ashton Gate and Flax Bourton.
How to manage nursery staff sickness in Bristol
Our Early Years recruitment team can be reached on 0117 930 4000 or by visiting here.