How your employees recover well after a long-term illness

We know from studies that many people have been or are affected by long-term illness, which costs society a lot of money. In addition, it turns out that an increasing number of people are experiencing high levels of stress, which is not appropriate for either the individual or the workplace. From 2010 to 2017, there has been an increase of 4.3 percent of employees who experience high levels of stress. There should therefore be an extra focus on mental health in workplaces, which is about creating the best framework for employees. Measures that promote mental health help to prevent diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, as well as the development of mental disorders, such as stress and anxiety, which can lead to long-term illness.

The duration of sick leave varies. Firstly, it depends on the nature of the illness or mental disorder you have suffered. Therefore, there is not necessarily a fixed framework for how long you can be on sick leave. After a long-term illness, many people may find that it takes longer to return to work than initially thought. It can therefore be a good idea to have conversations during the course of a long-term illness and get help to assess when you are ready to return to work. This can be with your doctor, a psychologist, etc. Initially, it may be a good idea to return part-time and build up slowly so that the individual is not burdened and quickly exposed to high levels of stress.

It can be a major loss for individuals and companies if people on sick leave do not return to work after a long-term illness. It is therefore essential that the workplace provides the person on sick leave with timely assistance during the sickness period.

This is what you can do as an employer:

Studies show that good management and help from the workplace can shorten a period of sick leave. One way to approach this is to agree on how often regular contact should take place during the period of illness. In addition, it is a good idea to agree on what makes the most sense for the individual and the manager. For example, does it work with status follow-ups during the course of an illness or not, and how much does the person on sick leave want to be informed about? When it makes sense, it can be essential to make a good plan to help the sick person return to work. This is coordinated through interviews, which can cover topics such as working hours, tasks, considerations and much more. In other words, a flexible framework is set up around the responsibilities and quantity of tasks at work so that the person on sick leave can gradually return to their position. It is a good idea to agree on what and how much should be communicated to colleagues, so that they are aware of how much consideration they need to take and can support the colleague in the best possible way. Follow-ups on the plan along the way are key to avoid the employee moving too fast or being exposed to mental health problems.