When an employee returns to work following a sickness absence, it’s your duty as an employer to ensure their transition back to work is smooth. Conduct a return to work after sickness interview with your employee to ensure they are fit to be back. The details of this sickness interview should be outlined in your sickness absence policy so your employees know what to expect.
Ensuring your business has a track record for conducting return to work interviews is important as it allows employees returning from sickness to know what to expect following a period of sickness. This is especially important if your employee has an ongoing or recurring condition and further absences are expected, as it allows both you as the employer, and them, to prepare accordingly.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about return to work interviews, as well as providing you with some return to work after sickness interview question examples. How you’ll conduct this interview will depend on the circumstances for the absence and your employee’s absence record, so it’s crucial that you’re fully prepared as an employer.
What Is A Return To Work Interview?
First, let’s start with the basics. What exactly is a return to work interview?
Employers hold a return to work interview when an employee returns to work following an absence due to sickness. At the meeting you’ll usually find HR professionals and/or a line manager, as well as the employee who is returning to work following their sickness absence. It’s a key aspect of an organisation’s absence management programme and occupational health protection as it supports employees with their return and sets a routine in motion that every employee can expect following a period of absence due to illness.
Most businesses in the UK will have a standardised return to work form which can be completed during the interview, usually based off templates online. Despite misconceptions, return to work meetings aren’t actually a legal requirement in the UK, so there is no set of interview questions an employer has to ask – so long as its standardised for your business and you treat all employees equally, then you’re fine.
The Equality Act 2010 makes very clear that employers should treat all employees equally regardless of age, sex, religion, disability etc. The Equality Act is key to keep in mind when dealing with employee absences due to sickness.
Why Hold A Return To Work Interview After Sickness?
If a return to work interview isn’t a legal requirement in the UK, then why do so many businesses choose to do so? Well, in most cases it’s for one of three reasons:
- To ensure the employee is actually fit to return to work – i.e. to ensure the employee’s role can still be met following sickness
- To reduce future absences – if the initial absence was due to mental health issues, for example, you might be able to support your employee more effectively by discussing their needs
- To address any ongoing concerns – if your employee is likely to have future absences, then you might be able to support them effectively with flexible working options to ensure they’re having all their needs met and stand a better chance of recovery
Benefits To The Employer Of A Return To Work Interview
As an employer, you’re probably wondering what conducting a return to work interview can do for you. Well, there are a few key benefits.
First, it protects your business from false sickness absence. It is statistically proven that staff members are far less likely to take unnecessary sick days when a return to work after sickness interview is conducted upon their return.
Another benefit is employee productivity. By taking the time to carry out a return to work meeting, your employee often feels welcomed back and supported and you’ll be able to pass on key handover information during the meeting to ensure they are ready to dive back in to their role.
It also protects your employee and shows that you’re living up to your duty of care. It’s always good to look for ways to support your employee during a return to work and to see if any reasonable adjustments can be made to better improve attendance during their phased return. Making reasonable adjustments is your duty to ensure your employee can maintain productivity. A note from your employee’s doctor or medical statement could help you determine which adjustments are necessary here.
Finally, it’s also a great way to ensure no absence is missed so you can keep an accurate absence record for all of your employees. Employees with frequent absence trends may have issues at home, for example. By keeping accurate records this can be raised and proper support put in place. And, if necessary down the line, can serve as evidence during a disciplinary process.
Benefits To Employee Of A Return To Work Interview
Of course, your employees will benefit from a return to work interview too, so let’s explore some of those benefits below.
The whole point of a return to work interview is to support your employees, not condemn them. It shows them that their work is appreciated and their presence is an integral part of the working day, helping them feel more valued.
It also helps them feel ready to return to their team. Things may have changed during their absence, so keeping them up to date during an official handover at a return to work meeting can make them feel more ready to return to work too.
Finally, employees benefit from a return to work interview because they get the opportunity to raise any concerns they may have. They may be battling a long term condition and so may have some ideas about how you, as their employer, can make things easier for them to ensure they can complete their job to the best of their ability.
Do You Need A Return To Work Policy?
Having a return to work policy in your company policy handbook is certainly best practice – even if not legally required. Here you can standardise the process across all staff members and ensure that every employee is treated in a consistent and fair way upon their return to work.
Most businesses have a form or questionnaire to be filled in during this interview, which can help keep all questions from line managers and HR representatives on track. Ensuring return to work interviews follow the same format for all employees means they have the same opportunities to make requests and raise any concerns, too.
When To Conduct A Return To Work Interview
You don’t have to conduct a return to work interview which means there’s no set time you have to do so either. With that said, it’s usually best to include in your policy a timeframe in which a return to work interview is likely to take place so your employee can be prepared appropriately for their return.
Reasons for a return to work interview can be varied also:
- Following longer sickness absence (most common)
- After a single day of sick leave
- At the end of maternity leave or paternity leave
Make sure the reasons an employee may be called to a return to work meeting is set out in the employee handbook so they know what to expect. It’s also a good idea to include a realistic timeframe. Typically a return to work interview will be carried out within a few hours of your employees return. That way, if they have any concerns about whether they’re truly fit to return to work this can be raised quickly.
Questions To Ask At A Return To Work Interview
Since the return to work interview isn’t standardised, we thought we’d provide you with some examples of good questions that other businesses typically choose to ask during this meeting.
Examples of effective questions to ask during the return to work interview could include:
- How do you feel now?
- Do you feel well enough to be back at work?
- During your absence, did you see a GP or pharmacist?
- Are you taking any medication, and are there any side effects that we should know about?
- Is this a recurring or ongoing condition?
- Has anything related to work contributed to your absence?
- Can we make any adjustments to make it easier for you to attend work?
- Do you have any questions?
Return To Work Interview Structure
Although there is no set structure for a return to work interview, the government recommends that businesses follow six steps during the interview:
- Welcome
- Update the employee
- Identify required adjustments
- Create a plan
- Record absence
- Questions
Let’s take a look at these six steps in more detail.
1. Welcome
No matter how you set up the meeting, it’s always important that you remember that the point of this interview is not to condemn or belittle, but to encourage and welcome your employee back positively. Simply let them know you’re glad to have them back and ask if there’s anything they would like to say at the start. Perhaps they’ll explain their absence in greater depth and you’ll be able to ask if they’re 100% sure they’re ok to return to work and remind them that they can go home if they’re still suffering from an illness, pain, or condition.
2. Update The Employee
Next, take the time to let your employee know everything that’s relevant to their role that they’ve missed during their absence. Update them on key project progression or any procedural changes so they can be as productive as possible when they return to work.
3. Identify Required Adjustments
This is one of the most fundamental parts of the interview. Make sure you ask your employee if there’s anything that can be done to make their return to work easier for them, or to prevent future absences. If an employee has a fit note from their GP, there may be some recommendations pertaining to their work and what can and can’t be done. Adjustments to make their return easier is vital.
4. Make A Plan
Now it’s time to work with your employee to make a plan for their transition back to work. Plan any adjustments that must be made to support your employee. This could be anything from shorter working hours, to work from home opportunities, or even adjusted duties depending on their capabilities and wellness.
5. Record absence
You will need to keep a record of absence of all employees, but it’s always good to share that information with your employee so they know exactly what dates are being recorded as an absence and the reason being put down for that absence too, to see if they agree. Any discrepancies can be discussed and explained. It’s also important here to remind employees with regular absences that further absences could lead to disciplinary action later down the line.
6. Questions
To end the interview you should always provide your employee with the opportunity to ask any questions they may have about their return to work. If concerns are raised then listen to them and ask for more details to understand them better where appropriate. Any concerns raised should then be acted upon and reassurances offered to ensure a smooth return to work for your employee.
Tips For Conducting A Return To Work Interview
Conducting a return to work interview can feel daunting, especially if it’s the first time you’ve conducted one. Here are a few useful tips to help you along the way.
- Hold the return to work interview in a private room. This will help to ensure that the employee feels comfortable discussing their absence and demonstrates sensitivity.
- Try to remain objective and avoid bringing your personal feelings into the interview. Try to keep the tone neutral and be as supportive as possible, without judgement.
- Ask the returning employee open-ended questions, encouraging them to share information about their absence and their emotions when it comes to their return to work.
- Avoid putting any pressure on the employee. There is no legal obligation for them to reveal details of their absence should they choose to keep the information private.
- Use the same format for every return to work interview, ensuring fairness and consistency for all employees.
- Return to work interviews don’t need to be formal – a five minute informal meeting in a quiet room is often sufficient. This can help the employee feel at ease, making it easier for them to reveal information that may enable you to support their return to work.
- You should always make notes of the return to work interview and ensure they are signed by both yourself and the returning employee. This will help to avoid any disputes later down the line.
Related questions
What does phase back to work mean?
After a long period of absence, a GP may state that an employee should return to work on a gradual basis, often referred to as a phased return to work. This means that the employee will return to their duties gradually, slowly increasing the amount of time they spend at work and the tasks they carry out over a defined period of time.
Return To Work Interview Questions: Final Thoughts
Return to work interviews offer benefits for both employers and employees. Although they are not a legal requirement, it is highly recommended that employers conduct return to work interviews with employees returning from an extended period of absence.
A return to work interview doesn’t need to be formal – a casual chat is often far more effective than a formal interview. However, it’s important to remember that you will be discussing confidential information, so it’s important to conduct the interview in a private space and store notes from the meeting securely.