What Is Employee Attendance?

What Is Good Attendance at Work?

Good attendance means showing up on time for your scheduled shifts, consistently. In 2026, most employers consider an attendance rate of 95% or higher to be excellent—that’s missing no more than 1 day out of every 20 you’re scheduled.

Your attendance record tracks whether you showed up for your shifts, how often you’re late, whether your absences were excused or unexcused, and if you left early without permission.

Quick Answer
Good attendance means showing up for at least 95% of your scheduled shifts on time. Missing more than 5% of your shifts (about 1 day every 2-3 weeks) is considered poor attendance and can lead to disciplinary action at most workplaces.

Why Does Attendance Matter?

For Your Job

Good attendance affects:

Your reputation: Reliable employees get first pick on preferred shifts, better references, and more opportunities for advancement.

Your paycheck: Many companies have attendance bonuses. Poor attendance can lead to lost hours or termination (which means no income).

Your coworkers: When you don’t show up, others have to cover your work. Chronic absences create resentment and strain team relationships.

Your performance reviews: Attendance is a key metric. Poor attendance makes it hard to get raises or promotions, even if you do good work when you’re there.

For Your Employer

Absences cost money. In 2026, absenteeism costs U.S. employers $225.8 billion annually, according to TeamSense. That’s why they track it so closely and have strict policies.

When you don’t show up, someone else has to cover your shift (which means overtime costs), service quality drops (hello, angry customers), scheduling falls apart, and team morale tanks.

This is why consistent attendance matters to employers and affects whether you keep your job. Modern workforce management tools help them track attendance patterns and spot issues early.

How Is Attendance Measured?

Your employer calculates your attendance rate like this: (Days worked ÷ Total scheduled days) × 100

Example: You work 18 out of 20 scheduled days

(18 ÷ 20) × 100 = 90% attendance rate

What’s Considered Good Attendance?

In 2026, here’s what most employers expect:

95%+: Excellent—missing 1 day or less per month
90-94%: Acceptable—missing 1-2 days per month
85-89%: Poor—you’re at risk of getting in trouble
Below 85%: Very poor—you’re likely facing consequences

The national average is 96.8% attendance (3.2% absence rate). If you’re missing more than 1 day per month, you’re below average.

How Many Absences Are Too Many?

According to SHRM, excessive absenteeism is commonly defined as two or more occurrences of unexcused absence in a 30-day period—though this varies by company and industry.

A lot of companies use point systems:

1 unexcused absence = 1 point
Tardiness = 0.5 points
No-call no-show = 2 points
Hit a certain number of points (usually 6-8) = you’re fired

Check your employee handbook to see what your company’s rules are.

What Are the Different Types of Absences?

Excused Absences

Approved reasons for missing work:

Illness with doctor’s note
Approved PTO/vacation
Family emergency
Jury duty
Bereavement leave
Medical appointments (with advance notice)

Excused absences count against attendance metrics but typically don’t trigger discipline.

Unexcused Absences

Unauthorized reasons:

Calling out sick without proper notice
No-call, no-show
Oversleeping
Personal errands not approved as PTO
Leaving work without permission

Unexcused absences usually have progressive discipline consequences.

Tardiness

This is when you show up late to your scheduled shifts. Companies handle it differently—some count a certain number of tardies (like 3-5) as one absence, while others track tardiness separately with its own point system.

By the way, Mondays are the most common day for people calling out, with absences dropping as the week goes on, according to TeamSense research.

Patterns Employers Watch For

Your manager is watching for:

Monday/Friday absences: Looks like you’re extending your weekends
Absences before/after holidays: Trying to create longer vacations
Same day every week: “Sick every Thursday” raises red flags
Absences before big events: Concerts, games, you name it

Almost three-quarters of employers track these patterns, according to Sedgwick. Suspicious patterns can get you in trouble even if your individual absences were technically “excused.”

How Does Your Employer Track Your Attendance?

When you clock in/out, the system logs everything—every shift you work (or miss), every time you’re late, and whether your absences were excused or unexcused.

Your manager can pull up your attendance percentage, see how many times you’ve been late, and spot patterns (like those frequent Monday absences). They compare your record to your coworkers’. Time tracking software makes all this monitoring automatic and spits out detailed attendance reports.

What Causes Poor Attendance?

Common reasons people miss work:

Illness or injury - the most common legitimate reason, especially in healthcare and janitorial where you’re exposed to more germs
Family obligations - childcare falling through, family emergencies
Burnout - dreading work because you’re overworked or hate the job
Transportation problems - your car breaks down, the bus is late
Poor scheduling - unpredictable hours or getting hit with a clopening

If you’re missing work a lot, figure out which of these applies to you. Some (like health or family) you can manage with documentation and communication. Others (like burnout) might mean you need to change something bigger.

How Can I Improve My Attendance?

If your attendance sucks, here’s how to fix it:

Plan Ahead

Request time off in advance instead of calling out last minute. Managers are way more accommodating when you give them notice.

Check the schedule every week so you don’t forget you’re on. Set phone reminders for your shifts.

Have a backup plan for transportation: What happens if your usual ride falls through? Leave earlier than you think you need to.

Communicate Properly

Call out the right way: Follow your company’s call-out procedure. Usually that means calling a certain number of hours before your shift (check your handbook).

Explain legitimate absences: If you’re actually sick or have a family emergency, get documentation—a doctor’s note, whatever. Turn unexcused absences into excused ones when you can.

Talk to your manager: If you’ve got ongoing issues (childcare, health problems, transportation), tell them. They might be able to adjust your schedule.

Address Underlying Issues

Health problems: If you’re sick all the time, see a doctor. Untreated stuff just leads to more absences.

Family obligations: Ask about flexible scheduling, shift swaps, or scheduling around what your family needs.

Burnout: If you’re calling out because you can’t stand going in, that’s a bigger problem. Figure out if this job is right for you, or talk to your manager about the workload.

Oversleeping: Set multiple alarms, go to bed earlier, or get someone to wake you up.

What If My Attendance Is Already Bad?

If you’re already facing discipline:

Acknowledge the problem: Don’t make excuses. Own up to the fact that your attendance needs to improve.
Create a plan: Show your manager the specific steps you’re taking—new alarm system, better transportation, doctor appointments for whatever health issues you’ve got.
Follow through: One perfect month can rebuild trust faster than you think.
Document improvements: Keep your own record of showing up on time so you can point to it in future reviews.

Most employers will work with you if you’re genuinely trying to improve.

What’s the Bottom Line?

Your attendance record matters. It affects your reputation, your opportunities, and whether you keep your job. In 2026, employers track attendance closely because absences cost them money and mess up operations.

Here’s what you need to know:

Good attendance is 95%+ (missing no more than 1 day per month)
Most companies consider 2+ unexcused absences per month excessive
Excused absences (with proper documentation) don’t hurt as much as unexcused ones
Patterns matter—frequent Monday/Friday absences are a red flag
If your attendance is poor, make a plan and talk to your manager
Improving attendance rebuilds trust faster than you think

Your employer tracks every shift you miss. When you’re absent, make sure it’s for legitimate reasons and you communicate properly. Learn more about ShiftFlow’s attendance tracking solutions.

Sources

SHRM – Attendance Policy
TeamSense – 20 Statistics Centered Around Employee Absenteeism
TeamSense – The Causes and Cost of Absenteeism in the Workplace
Sedgwick – Absenteeism is on the Rise: What Can Employers Do?
Leapsome – Absenteeism Rate: Benchmarks & Real-Life Examples
Shiftbase – Understanding and Managing Absence Rate
Inspirus – See How Much You Can Save on Absenteeism Costs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is good attendance at work?

Good attendance means showing up for at least 95% of your scheduled shifts on time. This equals missing no more than 1 day per month. The national average is 96.8%, so missing more than 1 day monthly puts you below average and at risk of discipline.

How many absences are too many?

According to SHRM, excessive absenteeism is commonly defined as two or more occurrences of unexcused absence in a 30-day period, though this varies by company and industry. Many companies use point systems where 6-8 points lead to termination. Typically: 1 unexcused absence = 1 point, tardiness = 0.5 points, no-call no-show = 2 points.

What counts as an excused absence?

Illness with a doctor’s note, approved PTO/vacation, family emergencies, jury duty, bereavement leave, and medical appointments with advance notice. Excused absences count against your attendance rate but typically don’t trigger discipline like unexcused ones do.

What’s an unexcused absence?

Calling out sick without proper notice, no-call no-show, oversleeping, personal errands not approved as PTO, or leaving work without permission. These usually result in progressive discipline (warnings, suspension, termination).

How can I improve my attendance?

Request time off in advance instead of calling out last minute. Follow proper call-out procedures. Address underlying issues (health problems, transportation, childcare). If you’re facing discipline, acknowledge the problem, create an improvement plan, and follow through. One perfect month can rebuild trust.

Do tardiness count as absences?

Companies handle this differently—some count a certain number of tardies (like 3-5) as equivalent to one absence, while others track tardiness separately with its own point system. Check your employee handbook. Chronic tardiness can lead to the same progressive discipline as absences.

Can I get fired for poor attendance?

Yes. Poor attendance is one of the most common reasons for termination. If you accumulate too many unexcused absences or points (typically 6-8), or if you have a pattern of suspicious absences (frequent Mondays/Fridays), you can be fired even if your work quality is good.

How do employers track attendance?

When you clock in/out, the system logs your presence. Employers use time clocks, mobile apps with GPS, or biometric scanners. Your manager reviews reports showing your attendance percentage, tardiness instances, and patterns.