Return-to-work meetings - dos and don’ts

If an employee is off work with sickness absence, it’s important to have a ‘return-to-work’ meeting when they come back. Most of the time, managers only did this if an employee had been on long term sick, but with SSP now payable from day 1 of absence, there’s a good argument to do this after each occasion of absence.

What you should do:

• Ensure they are properly fit to return - you need to ask if there’s anything that could affect their return and most importantly, whether they actually feel able to carry out their role

• Discuss any support or adjustments they might need. This can be anything from extended breaks, adjustments to starting or finishing times, more regular check ins or time off for medical appointments

• Give them an update on the business if there have been any changes, especially to their team or role in general

• Ask them what they need from you 

• Follow up the meeting by emailing them to confirm what you’ve discussed and any actions or adjustments that have been agreed.

What you should not do:

• Don’t assume what they can or can’t do upon their return

• Don’t make promises you can’t keep - if you’re not sure about being able to make a certain adjustment or offering a certain type of support, look into it first and come back to them

• Don’t skip the meeting entirely. Even if an employee seems completely fine, the meeting is still a good opportunity to discuss any worries or concerns before they get back to it.

Ultimately, a good return-to-work meeting should leave your employee feeling welcomed, supported and clear about what happens next. It should also leave you feeling confident that you can accommodate their needs and that they will be able to return to work safely.

If you’re not sure whether your return-to-work process is working as it should, then our HR consultancy services can give you the practical advice and support you need, just get in touch.

In our experiences, managers don’t know what they can/can’t say and having us on hand to coach them through these meetings has been invaluable.