Supporting an employee who is off sick
Tips on supporting an employee who is off sick
- it is essential to keep in touch. If there is
little or no communication, misunderstanding and
barriers can quickly arise, the employee may feel
that they are not missed or valued and this can
exacerbate already low self-esteem. Inviting them to
social events will show that you still think of them
as one of the team
- when the employee calls in sick you can suggest
and agree a time you will call them next. At the end
of each exchange you can then agree on when the next
follow up call will be
- you could explore different means of contact,
e.g. telephone, email, face-to-face meetings in a
neutral setting. If the employee requests it they
could ask someone of their choice to accompany them
to these meeting, and
- ask the employee who they would prefer to have as their main contact. Either you as their line manager, their second manager, HR or OH advisor. This maybe particularly important if the employee’s relationship with their primary contact is poor or if that person contributed to the individual’s absence in the first place
"I was managing a person who was on long-term sick leave due to a stress-related illness."
"Each week I called her to keep in touch. I used to worry that she'd think I was hassling her. In fact, I found out later that she waited anxiously for my call. It was her one lifeline to the outside world - she needed to know that people cared about her progress."
Clinical Psychologist, Child Mental Health
- early intervention is key. Sometimes the longer
someone is off work the harder it is for him or her to
return. It is therefore advisable to refer an employee to
OH early on
- you should reassure the employee about practical
issues such as their job security and deal with financial
worries
- give the employee the chance to explain the problem
and what is happening by asking open questions
- ask if there is anything you as their manager can do
to help
- ask if there are any work-related issues that are
contributing to their absence
- reassure them that you understand medical and
personal boundaries and will respect them
- be prepared for the possibility of the employee being
distressed, hostile or remote when you communicate with
them. These reactions may or may not be symptoms of their
illness or medication. You must still ensure that any
concerns raised by the employee are investigated and
dealt with quickly
- review their needs/wishes for support
- if the employee is too unwell to be contacted
directly, explore whether there is someone else such as a
family member or friend who can keep in touch on their
behalf. As soon as the employee is well enough for direct
contact then this should be arranged and followed up
immediately
- families often play a key role in the support and
recovery of people with mental health conditions. Their
knowledge and understanding is often unique and can be an
important resource for employers to tap into. Members of
the family can act as important go-betweens and potential
partners in helping an employee back to work.
Confidentiality must be respected, but don’t assume that
the employee would not want you to engage with the
family, indeed they may be very relieved that you have
offered to work with their families
- depending on the severity of the illness, explore if
it would be helpful to have a halfway house between work
and absence such as working for a couple of hours a day
at home
- you may wish to encourage the person to come into the
workplace informally beforehand
- plan a phased return to work as they approach fitness
for work
- it is helpful to think about the support you would
offer to someone with a physical problem. Do you have a
different approach for stress/distress, and if so – why?
Visiting the employee in hospital, cards, flowers etc can
be appreciated – but ask. The main thing is to let people
know they are not forgotten
- you could ask whether they are receiving any
treatment and what impact this is having although it is
important to remember not to put pressure on the person
to divulge personal or medical information – it is their
choice to reveal this or not, and
- ask if the employee feels able to do some work despite their condition and when they think that they will be able to return to work. It’s important to remember however that when someone is in crisis it may be impossible for them to know how long recovery will take. The decision as to when it would be best for them to return to work will be assisted by their GP using the ‘fit note’, formerly known as the medical certificate.
It is always good practice to have a ‘return to work’ interview when someone returns after any absence. This can be just a quick informal chat but it is also a good chance to ask how someone is.
Next page: Returning to work and reasonable adjustments
