Helping An Employee To Return to Work
Sometimes an employee may be quite unwell due to their mental issues and may require a longer period of time off work to recover. However, the way in which a business deals with this sickness absence and helps the employee return back to work is of vital importance.
If a staff member is unwell, be supportive and get involved as soon as possible to alleviate the stress or worry and promote their recovery. Be sensitive to the individual’s needs and stay positive and professional at all times: remember that the person is unwell and that they haven’t deliberately tried to cause a disruption.
Businesses should have a sickness policy in place which applies equally to both physical and mental illness.
However, it’s important that you communicate clearly about the situation and don’t pressure the person into returning to work if they are not ready. Threatening the person with unpaid leave or redundancy will not support their recovery.