How Line Managers Can Help Employees Get Back to Work
Supporting employees’ health and wellbeing is essential for creating a productive and happy workplace, and when employees fall unwell or get injured, it’s a given that they’ll need to take time off work. However, taking time off and then having to return to the office (especially after a period of prolonged absence) can feel like a daunting process. This is where line managers come in: they can help make both their employees’ recovery period and transition back to work as smooth as possible.In this latest instalment of our line management blog post series, we’re providing line managers with some insights on how they can support employees during their sick leave, help them return to office life and work routines, and create policies that will facilitate employee recovery and better support their health and wellbeing in the long run. The road back to work can be a tricky one, complete with plenty of apprehension and anxiety, but with the guidance of line managers, employees can navigate it with confidence!
Understanding The Importance of Recovery Time
It’s essential for line managers to give their employees the time they need to recover from any serious physical and/or mental health issues. Different individuals will need different amounts of time to recover and regain their strength – no two people are the same! Giving employees adequate recovery time has many benefits.- Having ample rest and recovery time can prevent employees from developing more serious illnesses/complications in the future.
- Having enough time to recover can lower the affected employee’s fatigue levels, ensuring they feel better and more energised quicker. This means that they’ll return to work feeling more motivated and fully prepared to handle the demands of their role.
- If an employee has been unwell with a virus or another contagious illness, it’s important to ensure that they wait until fully recovered before returning to the workplace. This will reduce the chance of them spreading germs around the office, which could make other team members ill.
- If an employee has suffered an injury, returning to work too quickly can make it worse or increase the risk of re-injury, resulting in even more time off.
- Making sure employees feel like they can take adequate time off work to fully recover from an injury or illness can help avoid presenteeism and low levels of productivity in the workplace.
- By ensuring that employees take sufficient time off work to recover, managers will demonstrate their commitment to their health and wellbeing, thereby fostering a stronger relationship between the employer and the employee – one built on values of trust and respect.
According to a BBC Worklife report, 35 workdays per worker are lost to presenteeism in the UK. Digital and remote working options have exacerbated presenteeism, with employees working longer hours than before and responding to emails at all times. However, often, this drive to be seen constantly reliable and efficient often backfires. Recent research suggests that employees’ productivity levels dramatically plummet after working more than 50 hours a week.
Back To The Office: Line Management Frameworks and Policies for Employee Return
Managers should play a supportive and interactive role with employees who are returning to work after a prolonged period of sickness absence. They should express an attitude of empathy, discuss and make available reasonable adjustments, and be supportive with regular communications. At Thrive4Life, we suggest the following 6 strategies to facilitate the return-to-work process:
- Return-to-Work Meetings: Scheduling a return-to-work meeting prior to an employee returning is important as it will support the return-to-work process. These pre-return conversations will help to map out any adjustments a returning employee may need, such as designating adjustments to workload and setting work targets they feel comfortable Employees should always be made to feel like they can communicate with their line managers if they’re not happy with anything discussed in these meetings.
Supporting Employees During Their Absence
It is important for line managers to take empathetic and effective measures to support their employees during their time off. Just because an employee is away from work doesn’t mean they don’t require support from their line managers. In addition to poor health, employees may be dealing with fears about their job security and finances, as well as worrying about potential bonuses or promotion opportunities being compromised because of their absence. These types of actions should include:- Regular Communication: Line managers should keep in touch with their employees informally. However, there are boundaries with this type of communication – employees should never feel that their leave is being encroached upon or that they’re being pressured to come back to the office. It’s extremely important that line managers are sensitive and tentative in their communications, making sure that the employee is aware that they’re contacting them to support them and make sure they’re managing OK. A simple text inquiring about their health or keeping them in the loop can allow employees to feel connected with their colleagues as valued members of the team.
- Offer Development Opportunities: Further to long-term absence and in preparation for their return to work, employees should be given the opportunity to attend relevant webinars or online skills training workshops. Voluntary participation in these sessions will provide an opportunity for a returning employee to refresh their knowledge, ensuring that they can return to their role feeling confident in their abilities and responsibilities.
- Paperwork Management: Line managers should offer employees their assistance in dealing with paperwork related to their absence. This could mean offering guidance on obtaining fitness notes from their GP, filling in absence forms or documentation, and organising medical certificates and insurance details.
The bottom line is: care extends beyond the office! When line managers support employees during their absence, they can ease their concerns, boost the team member’s wellbeing, make sure their team member trusts them as a pillar of support, and help facilitate the individual’s smooth return to work.
Estimates by the CIPD show that 16,400 employees permanently withdraw from the labour market every year because of a workplace injury or ill health. This loss of skilled workers can be significant. However, it has been shown that compassionate absence management reduces the loss of these valuable workers. Providing line managers with insights on how they can support employees during sick leave, help them return to office life and work routines, and create policies that will facilitate employee recovery.