Return to work interviews: effectively reducing absences

Hans is sick for the third time in two months. As usual, he sends a text message to his work colleague asking him to report him sick to the supervisor. When he returns to work three days later, the boss greets him briefly and everyone goes about their duties. Similar to this fictional example, absences play out in many companies, as Daniel Angst knows. He is head of the prevention management department at the health and accident insurance company Swica and supports companies in setting up and implementing an absence management system. First of all, he says, it is important for everyone to report sick to their supervisor in person. "That increases commitment," Angst knows. "Even if it seems like a detail, it has an impact on absenteeism." In addition to direct costs such as lost wages, every absence also entails indirect costs, such as finding and training temporary employees. "These indirect costs can be two to three times higher than the direct costs," Angst says. Successful absence management can reduce costs by up to 20 percent.

Return interviews as a basis

According to Angst, absence management includes, on the one hand, the figures and evaluations of absence recording systems or even certain tools such as the S-Tool. "The online survey tool was developed by Swica partner Health Promotion Switzerland and captures stressors, resources and well-being of employees as well as at the team and department level," Angst explains. "Such instruments make problem areas visible."

On the other hand, the return-to-work discussion, also called absence or absenteeism discussion, is fundamental. "A supervisor should already seek a conversation with the employee after a day of absence, greet him appropriately and ask how he is doing," says Angst. This is not about control, but about appreciation, showing the employee that his absence has been noticed. In the case of repeated or prolonged absences, for example after the third absence or after ten days of absence in a row, a standardized form, a discussion guide, should be consulted. "During these discussions, it is determined, among other things, what the employee, the supervisor or even the company can do to reduce the absences," says Angst. As an example, Angst tells of a manufacturing company where employees often fell ill because of drafts. But because no conversations took place, supervisors didn't know this. "Return-to-work discussions should identify possible reasons for absenteeism so that appropriate action can be taken," Angst explains. In the example mentioned, for example, protective walls were installed. Furthermore, the return-to-work talks form the basis for health-promoting measures. "If it turns out that many employees suffer from back problems or metabolic disorders, management should react and define measures," says Angst. This could be improved ergonomics or offers in the area of sports or nutrition.

Angst points out that medical diagnoses may not be asked about in return-to-work interviews - that is prohibited by law. However, he says, the employee has a certain duty to cooperate. "To find a solution, it would make sense if the boss knew more or less what was going on." Depending on the constellation - for example, in the case of interpersonal disagreements - it is advisable to bring in a neutral person for the discussion, such as an HR consultant. "Return-to-work discussions form the basis for any absence management," says Angst. "Thanks to them, absences can be effectively reduced, and they also have a preventive effect."

Early detection thanks to warning signs

"Return-to-work discussions often touch on the private sphere of employees. But many managers are reluctant to talk about private matters," says Angst. That's why training is enormously important, he says. "We show managers how to start and conduct the conversations. They're given a checklist to follow, and they learn about the different positions in role plays."

Another important component of the training courses concerns warning signs. They help to recognize possible illnesses at an early stage. Crisis signs can be: changed behavior, drop in performance, external changes, negative statements about one's own health. "In the case of such conspicuous features, it is worthwhile for the supervisor to take a close look and seek a conversation," says Angst. "Only in this way is it possible to intervene preventively." Especially in the case of mental illnesses, early detection helps to react quickly and, if necessary, prevent long-term illnesses or incapacity for work. "Managers should not make diagnoses, however, but should refer people to specialists and appropriate specialized agencies," Angst clarifies. In larger companies, this could be social services or contact points at the cantonal or municipal level.

It often takes years for new processes such as the return interview and changes to take effect properly, Angst knows. "It would therefore make sense to repeat training courses. On the one hand, new managers will learn what absence management means; on the other hand, such concepts need a certain regularity, otherwise they will fizzle out."

Interview

"Leaders have become much more vigilant"

SwissPrimePack AG is active in the plastic food packaging sector and employs 170 people in three-shift operation. The company had an absence rate of 5.5 percent. The company management therefore decided to introduce an absence management system and to train its managers in return-to-work talks. They were supported in this by their daily sickness benefits insurance company Swica. Marco Schaffner, Head of Human Resources at SwissPrimePack, is responsible for the project and knows how successful it is.

Why did you introduce return interviews?

Marco Schaffner: On the one hand, we wanted to show employees that we care about how they are doing and how we can support them. On the other hand, we wanted to give the managers a tool with which they can fulfill their responsibility for their team. The conversation training is at the same time a development of the managers.

How have managers responded to the return interviews project?

Restrained at first. They thought it was a "gspürschmi thing. But when we were able to show them that 10 of our employees are permanently sick, it was a real eye-opener.

How did the training go?

The training consisted of lectures and information transfer during one morning. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for the role plays. I think we will make up for them. If I had to plan the training again, I would invest a whole day.

How was the feedback on the training?

Very good. Our managers were shown all the possible reasons for absences and how to recognize them at an early stage. For some, this led to "aha experiences".

What impact does the training have on everyday work?

Managers have become much more alert and interested in what is happening in their team. If an employee comes to work completely overtired, they notice it and ask about it - in the past, they didn't pay that much attention. They are more interested in their employees' social environment and lifestyles.

Do supervisors have no inhibitions about bringing up private matters in conversations?

This is always an issue. But we have developed an interview guide that you can use to prepare yourself. You can also take the guide directly into the conversation and use it to ask about the points that need to be clarified. Furthermore, it is the task of a manager to be able to create trust. The greater this trust, the more freely employees will talk.

Where is the line between asking and asking out?

It is not about curiosity. Anything that affects the work can be of interest. For example, if an employee always shows up for the early shift overtired and is therefore prone to illness, it is helpful to know that he has two small children and his wife works the night shift. If such circumstances are learned in the discussions, it is possible to take appropriate measures, such as introducing a different time model in the shift.

Is it necessary to have a conversation after each absence?

Yes, even if it was only one day. But it is only after the third day that specific questions have to be asked, i.e. with interview guidelines, and any measures agreed. These discussions are recorded in writing and come to me in the HR department.

How did employees respond to the return-to-work interviews?

We did inform them about the renewal, told them that it would affect everyone and that no one need be afraid - of being fired, for example. But when the first talks took place, they were still shocked. Many wondered why they should talk about their absences. They don't yet see the point of the talks.

What difficulties are there in practice with return interviews?

We need to work on making sure that the conversations are real and not forgotten in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

How do you do it?

I see who is sick in which department and how often. It's my job to ask the supervisors whether they have conducted the discussion and whether measures have been defined. Up to now, these return-to-work talks have not yet worked automatically; they have to be driven forward so that they don't peter out.

Would you recommend the introduction of return interviews to other SMEs?

I think it makes a lot of sense for the development of a company health management system as well as for the training and further education of managers. Swica's training was also very well prepared, with many illustrative examples.

(Interview: Marianne Rupp. Marianne Rupp is a freelance journalist)