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©The Work Foundation
Karen SteadmanSenior ResearcherCentre for Workforce EffectivenessThe Work Foundation, Lancaster University
Retention and Return to WorkThe Role of Employers
Centre Forum: Mental Health in the Workplace
11th March 2015
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• How to manage sickness absence
• Preparing for return to work
• Making reasonable adjustments
• Sources of support (Government programs)
• Fit Note
• Mental Health Support Service
• Fit for work programme.
Agenda
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Mental health and sickness absence
• Millions of days sickness absence are attributed to mental illness every year
• Anxiety and depression are the most common
• Mental illness is one of the main causes of both short and long term sickness absence
• Mental illness related absence is a considerable cost for employers – estimated £8 billion/year
• & costs of sickness presence may be even greater
How to manage sickness absence
• Mental health friendly absence policy?
• Sick pay, absence management processes – can be a cause of presenteeism, stress & longer absence
• Keeping in touch during absence retaining a connection with the workplace
• Can be done very well, and very badly
• Workplace culture & relationships with line manager often crucial
• Assess readiness to return- don’t have to be 100% well
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Return to Work Process
• A RTW interview can be very effective in reducing absence… If you get it right!
• Need to understand the context, e.g.
• Absence history? Do they have a long term condition?
• What format is appropriate?
• Short and informal (hey, how are you?) or more intensive (structured interview)
• Organisational culture & relationships are again important – perceived as supportive? or punitive?
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Return to Work Process
• RTW plan developed between employer & employee
• Should be empower the individual – influence RTW and boosting well-being and confidence
• Not a one off activity – needs to be a flexible, ongoing process, timeframes & dates for review
• Two elements:
1. Build a rounded picture of the causes of absence
2. Identify changes that might be made to support employee and prevent further absence
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Understanding the reasons for absence
1. Build a rounded picture of the causes of the absence
•Clinical diagnosis
– Learn about the condition, consider specialist advice
•Work-related factors
– Workload? Relationships? Am I part of the problem?
•Non-work factors
– Work & non-work stress together is often particularly problematic
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Making reasonable adjustments
2. Identify changes to support the employee & prevent further absence (reasonable adjustments)
• Common for RTW, but underused in mental health
• Changes to hours; tasks & support; environment;
• Very individual – need to find the best approaches for (and with) the individual, for their job & their specific concerns
• Often temporary, inexpensive – what they do require is creativity, the right attitude, communication, and commitment
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Government interventions
• Statement of fitness for work, aka the Fit Note
• GP advice on what someone might need to help them return to work
• Access to Work, Mental Health Support Service (Remploy)
• Vocational rehabilitation support for people with mental health conditions who self-refer , 90%+ success rate
• Fit For Work
• Vocational rehabilitation assessment and signposting to support focussed on those with longer term (4 weeks) absence – RTW Plan, signposting
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Making it work
• Successful & sustained RTW needs empathy, support & effort on the part of all the stakeholders
• Be led by the employee – they know most about ‘triggers’ and what will work for them
– how their health effects their work, & how their work effects their health!
• Get professional support and advice where possible
• Review the RTW process regularly and don’t be afraid to change things
• About culture & attitude as much as policy - an open door and an open mind
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