Factsheet. Helping your business manage sickness absence

Transcription

1 Factsheet Helping your business manage sickness absence

2 Key facts The average cost of employee absence is 673 per employee, per year. The average cost per employee in the public sector is 800, substantially higher than in private sector organisations ( 446). Two thirds of working time is lost to short term absences of up to seven days. The most common methods used to manage short term absences are return to work interviews, trigger mechanisms to review attendance, giving sickness absence information to line managers and disciplinary procedures for unacceptable absence. Sickness absence costs UK businesses over 12bn a year Source: hse.gov.uk June 2011

3 Dealing with absence 1. Record absence Keep a daily record of absence and sum it up on a weekly basis. This will help to keep the information accurate and encourage regular contact with absent employees. 2. Get in touch as soon as possible Making contact with absent employees as soon as possible is a key factor in helping them return to work. Getting in touch will reassure them they are valued and still an important member of the team. 3. Plan workplace changes To encourage employees to return to their job it may be necessary to make some changes in the workplace. Consider employees needs and capabilities, assessing how to overcome obstacles and health and safety risks. 4. Use professional advice Sometimes line managers and employees may need professional advice or access to support or treatment before a return to work is possible. Occupational Health Advisors can assist with return to work programmes. 5. Agree a return to work programme Discussing it too soon may put pressure on employees, but leaving it too late can mean employees lose confidence in their ability to return. 6. Coordinate the process Nominate one person to coordinate the return to work process so that all parties have one point of contact and no one feels like they are being passed around. 7. Conduct an interview Return to work interviews can make a positive impact on absence rates. They give the chance to welcome employees back, discuss any problems and offer support.

4 What we can do to help you How our plans can help If one of your priorities is managing absence, the Simply Cash Plan with additional choices 1 and 4 may be particularly useful to your business. Our basic plan starts from just 1 per employee, per week and offers money back towards your employees everyday healthcare needs. Basic plan Choice 1 - Employee assistance programme Adding choice 1 for just 15p extra per employee per week gives you all the following benefits: Face to face counselling sessions Free human resources and manager support to help you and line managers get employees back to work quicker Free 24 hour helpline to guide you through your legal obligations Choice 4 - Managing absence Adding choice 4 for just 25p extra per employee per week gives you all the following benefits: Telephone access to absence management specialists Help in dealing with sensitive issues like stress Expertise in occupational health, nursing, osteopathy and physiotherapy Simply medical insurance An effective way to give employees access to diagnosis and treatment, in many cases helping them to address any health concerns sooner.

5 An example return to work plan Arrange a return to work interview Talking to staff on their return to work is an important part of managing sickness absence. Where an individual has had more than the average amount of sick leave, a more formal return to work interview may be required. Before the interview Gather all relevant information regarding the employee s sickness record such as the reasons given for the absences, the average length of the absences, whether the absences are regular or erratic and so on. During the interview Welcome the member of staff back to work and update them on any news or changes that have taken place during their absence. It s important to identify the problem and reason for their absence and determine whether it was work related or not. After the interview Complete the Return to work interview section of the sickness absence self certificate. If the individual has a doctor s certificate, make a separate note of the interview and copy any notes made.

6 Our credentials What some of our clients have to say about our health plans As most of our employees use a computer every day, we are legally required to provide an eye test for each employee. We introduced a cash plan not only to meet this obligation, but also to provide our employees with additional benefits relating to their everyday health. As part of our package, we implemented the Managing Absence Choice to support us, as a small business, in overseeing sickness absence. Val Aspill, Company Secretary, Krehalon UK Ltd Simplyhealth plays a vital role within the business in aiding the HR department to deliver solutions to employees and managers alike to contribute towards an employee s return to work plan. This assistance can involve support during a difficult time in the employee s personal life via the Employee Assistance Programme. Mat Baker, HR Consultant, Perceptive Informatics The information provided here is of a general nature and for information only. You are strongly advised to seek your own independent advice and you should not seek to rely on the general information provided. Simplyhealth accepts no liability for reliance by any person on the information. If you have any questions don t hesitate to call us on visit or us: forbusiness@simplyhealth.co.uk Simplyhealth is a trading name of Simplyhealth Access, registered and incorporated in England and Wales, No Registered office: Hambleden House, Waterloo Court, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1LQ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Your calls may be recorded and monitored for training and quality assurance purposes.