Getting started

Putting in place policies and procedures to manage sickness absence and return to work need no be difficult - there is already an established body of good practice that you can build upon. You may already have some elements of a policy in place but is worth reviewing them for their effectiveness. In particular, you might need to take a fresh look at how you:

• Work with your employees and their Trade Union representatives in developing policies and procedures;
• Train your line managers in managing sickness absence and return to work;
• Record, monitor and measure sickness absence and how you use that data at an organisational level;
• Keep in contact with absent employees and plan with them for their return to work;
• Access professional or other advice and treatment to help your employees;
• Control any risks to employees from work activites, especially those with continuing poor health;
• Put in place reasonable adjustments to enable disabled workers to continue to work.

Open and constructive discussion between all parties is essential for successful management of sickness absence and return to work. Though you are not legally required to provide a return to work policy, it is often convient to set down expectations, roles and procedures so that everyone is clear about who is reponsible for taking action and what they should be doing.

• An example of a written return to work policy

Next: Follow our six elements of guidance