The average employee has 4.1 sick days per year in the UK.*  This impacts the company's revenue and ability to achieve targets.

Top tips to reduce staff sick days include:

• Have a Clear Policy -  e.g. employee has to call their line manager prior to their start time, no texting allowed.
• Record & Measure Absenteeism - monitor the number and pattern of sick days taken by employees. 
• Hold a a Return To Work (RTW) interview - A quick meeting to record the reason for the the absence and support them.

1. You have a legal duty as an employer to ensure that that an employee is well enough to return to work.

2. The business would not be covered for insurance purposes if an employee returns to work while still signed off by a doctor.

3. It gives the employer the opportunity to assess the nature of the sickness and understand if there are any trends appearing.

4. It’s a time to show an employee that you care. 

5. An employer should get to know the employee’s needs and requirements and ascertain whether there needs to be any more supportive actions taken to support the member of staff.

6. All sickness is documented and as such can be used as evidence of a supportive framework should an employment dispute arise.

7. Lateness should also have a return to work interview completed – avoiding this becoming a continual behaviour.

Don't let policy breaches slide.  Be consistent & create a culture of respect. 

Our free download 'Return to Work Meeting Record' is a simple template that will help you fulfil your legal duty and show your employee that you care about their wellbeing.  Each interview should take only 10 minutes and this time investment is proven to greatly reduce the rate of absenteeism which can have a big impact on business revenue and success.

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