Long-term sickness absence has always been a concern for businesses, but recent figures show that the number of people leaving the workforce due to ill health is increasing by 300,000 a year.

The new data revealed that 4 million working age people in the UK are unemployed due to health problems, with a further 3.9 million people suffering from health problems which limit the type of work they can do. they can perform, more than double the levels of 2013, or 1.5 million. people.

This has big implications for businesses, with potential impacts on everything from productivity and profitability to recruitment, training and retention. Additionally, when employees are not supported and leave their jobs, companies lose valuable talent, forcing them to face recruiting and training costs and even possible discrimination and wrongful termination claims.

But long-term sickness absence doesn’t have to be a headache. With the right policies and procedures in place, you can have the best chance of supporting your employees’ return to the workplace and reducing costs for your business.

Common reasons for absence due to long-term illness

According to the CIPD, the most common problems reported by people with long-term health conditions are mental health problems like anxiety or depression – with 63 per cent of employees citing poor mental health as the main cause of their absence and 76 percent of employees citing poor mental health as the main cause of their absence. reporting taking time off due to stress in the past year. Other common problems include mobility problems and endurance/breathing/fatigue problems.

Regardless of the length of the absence, you will need to consider a wide range of factors, including the employee’s health, the treatment they are receiving (and should be receiving), the length of time the employee has been employee is and is likely to be. what reasonable adjustments can be put in place to help them work, and the appropriate sick pay policy and procedure.

Addressing the root cause

With stress being a significant factor in long-term absences, it is essential to implement policies and procedures to help prevent employee stress and burnout.

It is crucial to engage with your employees and create an environment where they feel comfortable discussing their concerns, for example in regular one-on-one meetings. Once you understand the pressures they face, such as workload or lack of staff, you can then think about what you can do about it. This could be through measures such as training and mentoring, recruiting more staff, offering flexible working hours or adjusting targets.

Making an employee feel valued in a job can help reduce stress, this includes reviewing compensation and benefits packages. If you have the resources, you can offer a choice of benefits. For example, you could offer a variety of training opportunities, which would be more attractive to employees whose focus is on career development, or offer perks such as gym memberships and time off additional annual benefits, which might be preferred by those who focus more on individual benefits.

Employee engagement can also be increased through social activities and team-building exercises, while preventing them from feeling isolated. Creating a support network or buddy/mentor program can also help.

In recent years, more and more companies are training their employees to become mental health first responders, ready to support colleagues suffering from mental health problems. This has the potential to contribute to better staff retention. Meanwhile, employee assistance programs are another added benefit that have proven to be an effective tool in helping employees cope with stressful times.

Managing absences due to long-term illness

When dealing with each case of long-term sickness absence, there are some key considerations you need to take into account to ensure you are meeting your legal obligations and following best practice advice.

1. Implement a policy

There is no legal requirement to have a specific long-term sickness absence policy in place, but it is often a good idea. In this document you should outline things such as how sickness absence should be reported, details of payments, reasonable adjustments, the ability to seek medical advice and the process for managing long-term sickness absence. duration.

2. Stay in touch with employees

You should keep in touch with absent employees, but make sure this is done tactfully: it is good practice to train line managers on the best way to proceed so that the employee feels listened to but not under pressure . In addition to more informal contact by telephone or email, you should arrange wellness assessment meetings at regular intervals and/or after important events such as an operation or appointment with a consultant. These can help you understand when they might return to work and how you can best help them get there.

3. Return to work process

You should have a formal return to work strategy in place when people return to work after a long absence. Return to work interviews after each absence should be encouraging and discuss ongoing adjustments if necessary. It may be helpful for a long-term ill employee to return on a “phased return” basis, if medically advised, resuming their usual hours and tasks over a defined period.

4. Consider any potential issues of disability-related discrimination

You will need to make “reasonable adjustments” to support disabled employees under the Equality Act 2010 – disability includes long-term physical and mental health problems. This is why it is wise to include provisions in your handbook that clearly state that absences linked to a person’s disability will be treated separately from other absences due to illness. Discrimination cases have no limits on damages, so it can be very costly to get it wrong.

5. Do a risk assessment

When someone returns to work, carrying out a risk assessment can help you decide what reasonable adjustments are necessary to their job or work environment. Effective risk assessments related to each employee’s roles and/or needs can help prevent sickness absence from occurring or being prolonged. Be sure to collaborate with the employee on the evaluation itself and any adjustments.

Where to start

Long-term sickness absence is a complex area of ​​employment law, but it carries a very real risk of costly legal action if you get it wrong. Companies should consider several important factors, putting policies and procedures in place to manage an employee with health issues at work and during any absence. Employers must ensure they remain compliant with the law to achieve the best possible outcome for both the employee and the business.

Emma McGrath is a Professional Support Lawyer at Citation