Many employers face situations where a valued employee must take an extended leave because of an injury, illness or medical condition. While the person is out, productivity may fall, and staffing challenges may rise. And the longer the individual stays off the job, the harder it becomes to bring that employee back. To guard against this predicament, consider implementing a return-to-work program.
Purpose and perspective
Formally defined, a return-to-work program is a systematic approach to helping employees on medical leave transition back to their jobs safely and productively. Depending on the circumstances, this may mean a full return, modified duties, a different schedule or some other kind of adjustment.
To be clear, your goal isn’t just to get someone back on the job. You want to create a welcoming, sustainable path for employees to return to engaged, productive employment. Doing so helps keep someone on leave connected to your organization, which supports morale, engagement and retention.
From a financial perspective, a single prolonged absence of a key employee can have a major operational impact for many small and midsize employers. An effective return-to-work program helps reduce the costs associated with prolonged absences. These include:
- Lost productivity,
- More mistakes and rework,
- Higher overtime pay, and
- Greater expenses for temporary staffing or independent contractors.
A well-designed program can also help you make smarter workforce decisions by clarifying the total cost of absences and the value of retaining your best employees. Looking at these factors together may lead to better approaches to hiring, compensation and benefits.
Best practices
Traditionally, many employers wait until just before an employee on leave is ready to come back to coordinate the individual’s reentry into the workforce. A return-to-work program should ideally start much earlier, encouraging clear communication before, during and after the leave. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
Assign a point of contact. Whether an HR manager or other designated employee, someone should serve as a primary contact for the person on leave to coordinate the process. Train these individuals thoroughly and gather constructive feedback on their performance.
Communicate throughout the process. In consultation with an attorney, establish clear procedures for communicating with employees while they’re out. Although you want to respect their privacy and avoid unnecessary pressure, it’s also important to maintain a connection. Discuss clear, reasonable expectations regarding the anticipated return, job responsibilities, and immediate and long-term needs. To keep the transition smooth and respectful for everyone, supervisors and coworkers may need guidance as well.
Define return criteria and adjustments. As mentioned, employees on leave can come back to work in many ways other than resuming their duties exactly as they were before. Design a process to objectively assess each individual’s work-related restrictions and identify appropriate ways to support a successful return. Be sure to account for applicable federal and state requirements, including the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Include post-return steps. It might seem logical to end participation in the program as soon as an employee is back on the job. But build in plenty of time after a staff member’s leave is over to conduct check-ins, gather feedback, and adjust the employee’s arrangement or accommodations as appropriate and feasible. Documentation at this stage — and, indeed, throughout the process — is key. Use it to continuously improve the program over time to gain even greater benefits.
An investment in continuity
Ultimately, a return-to-work program is an investment in workforce continuity. But it’s no small task — if you’re ready to build one from scratch, go about it patiently and methodically under the guidance of your HR and legal advisors. Your financial advisor can also help quantify the costs of absences and turnover and assess their impact on staffing and productivity — and model how a program could help.
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