One in three manufacturers say long term sickness absence is on the rise, accounting for 80 per cent of the total time lost from work, but managers feel ill equipped to deal with the growing challenges of helping sick staff get back to work, according to EEF, the manufacturers organisation.*
In response, EEF has published "Fit for Work", a new practical guide to help firms maximise staff attendance, keep a lid on litigation and better manage a healthy return to work for staff on sick leave for more than four weeks.
Written by legal and occupational health experts, the guide outlines six simple steps that companies should use to develop a culture of good attendance, effective rehabilitation and improved health and safety. These steps can be tailored to meet the needs of firms of any size.
The EEF Guide details how to:
Define roles for senior, line and HR managers
Identify priorities for action by absence measurement and risk assessment
Involve and inform the workforce of company policies and new drives to maximize attendance
Establish appropriate access to occupational health support, the benefits and where to find it
Focus on rehabilitation, avoiding dismissal and ensuring a healthy return to work
Tackle frequent short term absence, through return to work interviews, enforcing procedures and training line managers.
Dr Sayeed Khan, EEF Chief Medical Adviser, and co-author of the EEF Guide said:
"Maximising staff attendance has become a key performance indicator but, for small firms in particular, practical support for dealing with sickness absence is not often easy to obtain.
"’Fit for Work’ cuts through the complexity of the law, makes sense of the medical issues, and provides a complete solution to managing sickness absence."
For copies of "Fit for Work – the complete guide to managing sickness absence and rehabilitation" contact local EEF Associations.
Review copies are available. Please email aparkinson@eef.org.uk for details.
· "Fit for Work – the complete guide to managing sickness absence and rehabilitation" (ISBN 1 903461 37 5) is priced at £90, with discount available for EEF members.
· *The EEF/IRS "Managing Sickness Absence and Rehabilitation" survey, published in March 2004, gives detailed analysis on sickness absence policy and practice in 896 manufacturing companies. For more information see: /UK/mediacentre/mediareleases/uk/2004/newsrelease31032004.htm
· EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, has a membership of 6,000 manufacturing, engineering and technology-based businesses and represents the interests of manufacturing at all levels of government. Comprising 11 regional Associations, the Engineering Construction Industries Association (ECIA) and UK Steel, EEF is one of the UK's leading providers of business services in employment relations and employment law, health, safety and environment, manufacturing performance, and education and skills.