Supporting individuals when they return to work after an extended absence

It’s the first month of the new year. So how are you feeling? Apprehensive or excited about the year ahead? Seeking change or committed to the path you’re on?

Whichever it is, I’m sure when you first came back to work after the festive break, you probably felt a bit disconnected from your role and needed some time to get your head back into it. Just think, if you felt that after just a week or two of leave, albeit possibly with some overindulgence along the way, how would you feel after six months of leave, a year, or even longer? For some of our colleagues, that’s exactly what they may have to do at some point in their careers. A prolonged time away from work can be due to maternity or paternity leave, illness, caring for somebody close, or one of many other possible reasons.  So, the question we should be asking ourselves as organisations or colleagues is: “How well do we support those individuals as they transition back into their roles?” Let’s face it, it needs to be more than just a strong coffee, a catch-up about the holiday gossip and a quick review to get your head back to where you left off in December.

You may have taken an extended absence yourself or worked with somebody who has. n How do you feel that went, from your perspective? If it was you, did you feel supported before, during and after your leave? Was the return to work smooth? If you were a colleague, how did you feel about the time your colleague wasn’t there? How did your colleague’s reintegration back to work impact you? Please pause and consider all that for a moment.

Working with an independent HR consultant, the Healthcare Communications Association (HCA) has asked various people working in the sector to share their responses.

Everybody’s story is different, even within the same organisation or if the extended absence was for the same reasons. That should not be surprising because we are all different. If we truly want to make these scenarios the best possible experiences for all parties, acknowledging this fact is foundational. But that does not mean there aren’t common principles that will also support that goal if we recognise, pre-empt, prepare for and address them, as best we can. These have been captured in a new set of resources to support employers and employees returning to work after a period of absence.

The first insight to recognise is that we need to consider the return to work before we have even left (or during the early stages of being absent, if the time away was not anticipated). Talent is our greatest asset and is often expensive to replace, so we should support individuals throughout the process, to help ensure their desire to return. Similarly, we also need to consider the implications for others as a result of their absence.

Having policies is important to provide a framework so all parties know what to expect. However, bearing in mind no two individuals or scenarios will be the same, those policies will be much more effective if they have a good degree of flexibility, so they can be tailored to different circumstances.

Good, open communication between all is clearly paramount before, during and on return to work. But the preference for how that is done, the frequency and what is communicated should vary depending on individuals’ preferences and those of their organisations.