Managers' Guidance on Conducting a Return to Work Interview

This guidance has been produced to give managers a step by step template to follow when conducting a return to work interview with an employee.

General information

Return to work interviews must be conducted after every period of absence and where possible managers should carry this out on the day an individual returns (or as soon as practicable); this does not necessarily have to take place on a face to face basis and can be conducted by telephone where managers/employees cover a wide geographical area.

Return to work interviews are an important part of absence management and can help identify short and long term absence problems at an early stage; they also provide a manager with an opportunity to start a dialogue with staff about underlying issues which may be causing the absence and allow them to make any changes to support the employee.

The return to work interview needs to be separate to any Stage 1, Stage 2 Meetings and a Stage 3 Hearing, you cannot combine these meetings. Please use the Return to Work Interview Form to record the discussion.

Purpose of the meeting

• Welcome the employee back to work.

• To ensure the employee is fit enough to resume their duties.

• To identify the reason for the absence and confirm length of absence.

• To give the employee an opportunity to discuss any concerns they have, that may be causing or contributing to the absence.

• To discuss any adjustments to the workplace that may reduce/eliminate absences.

• To advise the employee how many days or occasions they have been absence and discuss the Council’s trigger points, as outlined in the Sickness Absence Management Policy & Procedures if needed.

Preparation before the meeting

• Ensure you have the right information available; this includes having the absence management policy, return to work interview form, dates and reasons of current and previous absences, any other previous return to work interview notes and contact details of employee support and counselling.

• Identify if there are any patterns or trends in the employees absence and be prepared to discuss them.

• Have a confidential area for this meeting to take place to ensure privacy, e.g. a meeting room booked.

• Approach the meeting with an open mind, be supportive and with no pre-judgements.

What should be discussed

• Ask the employee how they are feeling, why they were absent and what symptoms they had.

• Advise that they were missed and reassure them of the value you put on their role within the team. Update them on anything they have missed at work while being absent.

• Did they visit their GP; what did he/she say?

• What preventative measures can be taken (if relevant) and discuss putting these in place for the future.

• Review reasonable adjustments already in place review if needed.

• Discuss if there are any personal or work-related issues that may have contributed to the illness.

• Highlight any trends that you have identified.

• If they were not followed, remind the employee of the correct sickness reporting procedures.

• Offer help with problems including the availability of Employee Assistance Programme, Remploy Service and the Council’s Flexible Working, Leave policies.

• Explain to the employee the Councils Sickness Absence Management Policy & Procedures and in particular the trigger points.

Future action

• Summarise any agreed actions from the meetings, e.g. reasonable adjustments or referral to Occupational Health.