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How should you manage long-term absence?
July 19, 2021
Long term employee absence is usually defined as lasting at least four weeks and comes with a significant cost to your business. It is important that you properly manage absence and support your employees with health issues to stay in or return to work. Developing an effective return-to-work programme and offering flexible working where possible form part of an attendance management strategy. It is important to remember that most absence is genuine and that employees often need support in their recovery.
Effective attendance management involves finding a balance between providing support to help employees with health conditions stay in and return to work and taking consistent and firm action in the minority of cases where employees could try to take advantage of your organisation’s occupational sick pay scheme.
Long-term absence can be challenging to manage as the longer someone is off sick, the harder it can be for them to return to work. Consequently, it is vital that you keep in touch with absent employees in a sensitive way and have a formal return-to-work strategy in place for those returning after a long-term absence. Awareness of potential disability discrimination issues is also crucial, and you should have a disability leave policy that treats absence linked to someone’s disability as distinct from sickness absence.
The role of the manager is vital in managing long-term absence, but other interventions are also important. These include:
- Proactive measures to support employee health and wellbeing.
- Return-to-work interviews that are supportive and discuss ongoing adjustments where needed.
- A supportive case management approach, for example involving an HR partner, occupational health services and the individual’s manager.
- Risk assessment to help return to work after long-term absence.
- Changes to work patterns or environment, including flexible working.
There are five typical elements in the recovery and return-to-work process:
- Keeping in contact with unwell employees, in a sensitive manner, to help prevent them feeling isolated.
- Planning and implementing workplace adjustments where necessary, in collaboration with the individual.
- Accessing professional advice and treatment.
- Planning and co-ordinating a return-to-work plan.
- Regular evaluation with the employee about how they are adjusting to being back at work.
For help with your attendance management strategy and/or disability leave policy, contact us
now to see how we can help.
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