Bradford Factor

What is Bradford Factor?

The Bradford Factor is a widely used formula in human resources that measures the impact of employee absences on an organisation. It calculates a score using the number of separate absence episodes and total days absent, placing greater weight on frequent short-term absences than on fewer longer ones.

Why Bradford Factor Matters

The theory behind the Bradford Factor is that repeated, unplanned short absences are more disruptive to a business than a single extended leave. HR teams use the resulting scores to identify absence patterns, trigger review conversations, and apply absence management policies consistently across the workforce.