Best practices to mitigate employee absences

How do you know when to have a discussion with your employee regarding their well-being? What do you need to include in your conversations to ensure you are supporting them and providing the right tools?

Knowing what your organization offers to employees will help. Being educated on the appropriate types of leaves and services available will help keep productive employees at work and that those who require time off have access to the right resources to help them navigate both leave and return to work.

There are a number of different types of leaves, such as compassionate care, short-term disability, long-term disability, or a leave of absence. Determining the correct leave for your employee often requires a conversation. This discussion can involve supervisors, managers, employee relations, human resources or the insurance carrier.

If an employee asks you for help or you notice a change in their behaviour or performance, it’s important to be able to have an open and respectful discussion. The employee might not even know there are options for support that would promote ongoing performance at work.

It’s also important to be able to answer any questions and work together to find an agreeable solution for all parties. In order to do that, your employees need to know about the tools they have access to.

In some situations, work accommodation can help the employee remain at work and be productive, which is beneficial for both the employee and the company. Accommodations could include modified or reduced hours, an ergonomic assessment, a temporary work-from-home arrangement or assistance with managing a medical condition. 

The important thing is to be informed and able to provide the right kind of assistance and direction to your employees, which will lead to a more positive experience for all involved. For more details contact your Manulife representative.