Back For Good: Helping Employers And Employees In The Workplace After An Illness
Returning to work after suffering a health problem is never easy. In fact, it can be a very daunting prospect. You may suffer a loss of confidence depending on your recovery, especially if it took a long time, but thankfully in the modern workplace, there is an awareness in returning to work properly. With the best support from the employer, it can be an influential factor in a person’s full recovery, and it can also ensure that they are mentally fit and well to resume normal working practices.
Understanding it from the perspective of the employer, they need to provide what is called a “phased return” to work, in other words gradually building up the employee’s return in small stages such as a few days a week, gradually building up to the usual hours over a specific time frame. As an employer, you need to understand the predicament the person is in and how you can help them as best as you can, either by using employee occupational health services or by discussing, in detail, their needs. For example, if the employee was off to an anxiety-based issue, what can you do to help them feel more comfortable in a working environment after the stress that they have been through? You may wish to alter their working hours to reduce stress patterns, for example, if they feel anxious by travelling during the rush hour, then you may want to stagger their working pattern to avoid the rush hour journeys. It ultimately boils down to the employee themselves and what they need before they return to work. It is worth discussing in detail what issues or triggers may impact on their ability to work properly.
There are benefits of a phased return to work from the perspective of the employer and the employee. The employer will benefit in some of the following ways:
- An earlier return cuts down employer costs by reducing the need for another person to cover the work.
- By treating its employees well, an organisation can create a positive working culture and increase morale in the workplace.
- While implementing a phased return to work, this reduces the chances of employees never returning, and therefore saves the time, effort, and money on recruiting and training a brand new member of staff.
From the employee’s perspective, it helps in the following ways:
- From the perspective of health and well-being, being in work is very good in addition to the financial security that it brings.
- After a member of staff suffers an illness, returning to the job helps to implement a routine and a sense of normality as well. This can improve the person’s self-respect as well as their ability to socialise and improve their mental outlook.
During a phased return, if it works correctly for the employee, this can actually bring about recovery a lot quicker than planned. It can also prevent potential relapses or complications which stem from being off work for an extended period of time.
As an employer, it is incredibly beneficial to keep an open mind about having an employee return to work gradually whether on reduced hours or different duties. But you need to understand the impact on that member of staff being off to illness may alter their viewpoints of the company and how successfully they return to work.
As a line manager or immediate superior, you are essential to their wellbeing and return to work. Remember that!