1. What is the Bradford Factor?

The Bradford Factor is a human resources metric used to measure employee absenteeism. It emphasizes the impact of frequent short-term absences rather than long-term absences by squaring the number of spells of absence.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Bradford Formula:

Where:

• \( S \) — Number of spells of absence (unitless)
• \( D \) — Total days absent (days)
• \( BF \) — Bradford Factor score (unitless)

Explanation: The formula squares the number of absence spells to give more weight to frequent short absences than to longer-term illness.

3. Importance of Bradford Factor

Details: Organizations use the Bradford Factor to identify patterns of absence that may require intervention. Higher scores indicate more disruptive absence patterns.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of separate absence spells and the total days absent. Both values must be zero or positive integers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a "high" Bradford Factor score?
A: Thresholds vary by organization, but common benchmarks are: 0-50 (no concern), 51-100 (monitor), 101-200 (discussion needed), 200+ (potential disciplinary action).

Q2: Why square the number of spells?
A: Squaring emphasizes frequent short absences which are more disruptive to operations than fewer longer absences.

Q3: How far back should absences be counted?
A: Typically a rolling 52-week period is used, but policies vary by organization.

Q4: Are there limitations to the Bradford Factor?
A: Yes, it doesn't account for legitimate long-term illness or disability, and should be used alongside other metrics and human judgment.

Q5: Can the Bradford Factor be gamed?
A: Employees might extend single absences to avoid multiple spells, which is why it should be one of several absence management tools.