HR professionals have a new “pragmatic occupational rehabilitation” resource to resolve costly return-to-work problems. It clarifies the work staff can handle and the line manager’s role in their recovery.
Rehabilitation case management pioneer HCML says its new Management Action Plan service (MAP) will transform how absent staff are assessed and managed and resolve HR headaches that most employers face, yet struggle to handle.
MAP’s suite of services are tailored to clinical recovery and the length of time from the start of illness or injury to assessment, to provide accelerated and cost-effective recovery. Its comprehensive assessments cover absences from two days to years and also help staff struggling in the workplace.
Its telephonic and video-call assessments eliminate barriers to sustained attendance and performance. Its assessments review the functional demands of job tasks. Staffs with complex conditions are assessed face-to-face, often at work, to observe functional ability.
To resolve the knottier challenges of long-term absence its case managers project-manage recovery and vocational re-engagement, when return to work is appropriate.
Its independent, recommended support and treatment plans give step by step actions for a safe, sustainable return to work. Shared with worker and manager, to foster joint ownership, each plan clarifies responsibilities and timeframes, followed by regular progress reports.
“We focus on what the employee can do, not what they can’t do, get the line manager better involved and worker and manager collaborating better,” said CEO Keith Bushnell.
HCML consult the HR or line manager before the assessment and before filing their report and action plan, to ensure each plan is practical, appropriate and nuanced.
“Our plan may include alternative duties, an adapted environment, talking therapies, occupational therapy and support for the worker’s family. By speaking we get the full picture of how to get an effective return-to-work, or the best outcome,” said Keith.
Employees get support from HCML’s clinical multidisciplinary team, its medical director and case managers – psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, ergonomists, registered nurses and sports injury therapists – including allied health professionals who can supply fit notes, removing GP delays.
“Our case managers give unequivocal advice to managers and bring their problem-solving skills to remove barriers and delays to progress”, said Keith. “We might give a man absent 20 months with fibromyalgia his first 12 week return-to-work plan. We will help him stick to his GP visits and manage his fatigue, pain, breathing exercises and sleep hygiene. We focus on outcomes, based on sound medical evidence.”
“Early intervention is vital. The longer the absence, the harder the return to work. Only one in five of people out of work for six months will return to work. Our model is proven to reduce progression to long term absence.
“It also offers resolution with long term absence, when most companies face this costly management challenge, but don’t know how to tackle it.
“We see too many line managers getting insufficient direction, beyond a medical report. We give them the steps to accelerate recovery. We also brief employers on the Equality Act, an area where many feel un-supported.
“We assess the employee’s mental health from first contact. It frustrates a manager to hear that someone is depressed weeks after they went absent. We can also transform the worker’s health through a plan for the depression that absence can itself trigger.”
Historically instructed by insurers or solicitors handling injured individuals, HCML has handled “tens of thousands” of referrals from employers on absent employees.
The Office for National Statistics figures for the UK labour market reported that MSK problems along with stress, depression and anxiety accounted for 49.4 million lost days in the workplace in 2015.