The Bradford Factor is a way of measuring employee absence by placing greater weight on frequent, short-term absences. It highlights patterns that may have a greater impact on operational efficiency compared to occasional long-term absences.
Bradford Factor formula
The Bradford Factor is calculated using the following formula: B = S² × D
Where:
B = Bradford Factor score
S = Number of spells (instances) of absence over a set period
D = Total number of days of absence in the same period
Example calculation for 10 days of absence
1 instance of 10 days: 1 × 1 × 10 = 10 points
3 instances (1, 3, and 6 days): 3 × 3 × 10 = 90 points
5 instances (2 days each): 5 × 5 × 10 = 250 points
10 instances (1 day each): 10 × 10 × 10 = 1000 points
📌 Notes: Bradford Factor scores are calculated based on absences where the Absence Type Group = Sickness.
It is not possible to exclude specific types of sickness from the calculation.
Common causes of incorrect scores
If an employee’s working pattern has been updated through a new career history record, any related absences will need to be recalculated. This is because absences are recorded based on the working pattern that was active at the time they were entered.
In some cases, the sickness absence may not be included in the calculation if it falls outside of the 12-month rolling period used.
Update absence data
Navigate to the employee’s Absence History.
Filter the results to show only Sickness absences.
Open the most recent multi-day sickness absence.
Click Edit to step through the workflow. This ensures the absence is updated with the correct working pattern.
Check that the Bradford Factor Occurrences display correctly.
Repeat steps 3–5 for any other absences as needed.
Still need help?
If the issue persists after following the steps above, please raise a new case online.
Include the following information:
The title of this article.
A description of the issue.
The affected employee’s details.