It is calculated as S x S x D, where S is the number of separate absence spells in a period, usually 52 weeks, and D is the total days absent. Ten days in one spell scores 1 x 1 x 10, which is 10. The same ten days across five separate spells scores 5 x 5 x 10, which is 250, because five interruptions disrupt a team far more than one.
The watch-out is using the score as an automatic trigger. A raw threshold punishes people with disabilities or chronic conditions and can breach equality law if applied blindly, so most policies pair the score with human review and recorded adjustments. It is a conversation starter, not a verdict.
The same measure also goes by Bradford score, Bradford index and Bradford formula. All describe the identical S x S x D calculation; policies and HR systems simply label it differently.
Common questions
What does the Bradford Factor mean in simple terms?+
The Bradford Factor is a score that measures the disruption caused by employee absence, weighting frequent short spells far more heavily than one long absence. It is named after the University of Bradford, where the approach was first discussed, and is widely used in UK absence policies.
How is the Bradford Factor calculated?+
It is calculated as S x S x D, where S is the number of separate absence spells in a period, usually 52 weeks, and D is the total days absent. Ten days in one spell scores 1 x 1 x 10, which is 10. The same ten days across five separate spells scores 5 x 5 x 10, which is 250, because five interruptions disrupt a team far more than one.
Why does the Bradford Factor matter for compliance?+
The watch-out is using the score as an automatic trigger. A raw threshold punishes people with disabilities or chronic conditions and can breach equality law if applied blindly, so most policies pair the score with human review and recorded adjustments. It is a conversation starter, not a verdict.
What else is the Bradford Factor called?+
The same measure also goes by Bradford score, Bradford index and Bradford formula. All describe the identical S x S x D calculation; policies and HR systems simply label it differently.