Managing the return-to-work process

Keeping in contact with your employee

When an employee is absent from work, it is important to keep in contact to offer support and work updates.

This could be a mix of agreed formal meetings and more informal contact, such as:

• having coffee
• texting
• calling

This allows you to receive a health update. You should meet regularly:

• during absence from work
• before their return to work
• and after their return to work

You can use these contacts as an opportunity to:

• confirm details of planned absences
• identify any barriers to a safe and healthy return to work
• discuss plans for return (when appropriate) and potential adjustments to support that return
• agree on what the employee wants colleagues to know about their absence
• update on what’s happening at work, so they do not lose touch with work or colleagues
• provide less formal information on who has joined or moved
• update on the company newsletter or other business and social items
• agree on how frequently you or other staff members will be in touch and the best way and time of day to have these contacts
• provide information on support available for the workplace or other sources

The return-to-work process

Before your employee returns from an absence, you should have had contact with them to plan their return to work.

You may create a return-to-work plan or health passport based on these discussions.

This includes discussion on and implementation of any reasonable adjustments that could facilitate a safe, healthy and sustained return to work.

Your employee may have a fit note from their GP or other health professional that also outlines what support they may need for the return to work.

Alternatively, you may have requested, with the employee’s consent, further information on their health condition from their GP or an occupational health specialist.

On their first day back, have a return-to-work meeting, which allows the employee to provide any health updates they may have.

In this meeting:

• your employee may wish to have a companion or union rep with them
• you can use this meeting to make sure that any reasonable adjustments agreed in the support plan are still suitable and sufficient
• you can also verify with the employee that they agree to the plan

Subsequent meetings can focus on how the return is progressing and the suitability of the adjustments, which may need to be revised as time progresses.

We have created a form you can use to help you effectively manage the return-to-work process. It has space to record the discussion with your employee.

You can also record details of any reasonable adjustments that you have both agreed to.