Returnee Programs – Perspective and Guidance
Sponsored Article by Dr. N. Venkataraman
Return to work or Returnee Program are emerging as an important and powerful enabler in today’s context helping employees get back to work after an extended break due to hospitalisation, covid or after a long break. This program also applies to women who take career break due to family constraints like maternity and those taking breaks from the workforce for a few years for raising children, caring for a sick parent, dealing with an illness, traveling, or military service. Men who has to serve national service during a work life often face a short break from
work life.
Many companies are starting to recognise the need to have a structured pathway to sharpen employee’s skills, get experience, and revive their network.
It is recognised that Returnee or Return to work programs reduce employees’ days away from work, allow them to recover more quickly and foster a more positive work environment. Implementing a return to work program can benefit your company financially and other tangible and intangible benefits include:
- Anticipating and controlling hidden costs
- Reducing the financial impact of workplace injuries
- Providing a proactive approach to cost containment
- Improving your ability to manage an injury claim and any restrictions
- Getting experienced employees back to work – thereby less time and money spent on recruiting and hiring
- Helping keep regular contact with injured employees
- Boosting employee morale
- Keeping injured employees productive and Enhancing injured employees’ self-worth
- Discouraging abuse
- Demonstrating a consistent procedure
- Establishing a sound communication within the organization
Employees also benefit from the Returnee Program and includes:
- Retaining full earning capacity
- Maintaining a productive mindset
- Staying on their regular work schedule
- Avoiding dependence on a disability system
- Having a sense of security and stability
- Seeing management’s commitment to employees’ well-being reinforced
How do you create a return to work program?
- Support from company leadership – this is crucial for any program
- Have a written policy and process on returnee program; identify what needs to be included in Returnee Program, and how this program can be integrated into other management system such as ISO 45001:2018
- Establish a return to work culture
- Establish a Returnee coordinator with clear roles and responsibilities – He is responsible for implementing an organisation’s Returnee program, supporting workers as they recover at work and assisting employers to meet their obligations as required under workers compensation legislation. When employee returns to work following an absence, Returnee Coordinator may conduct a return to work interview. These interviews are generally carried out by a line manager as soon as possible after the employee’s return to work, ideally on their first day back at work. When job has to be reassigned, Retturnee Coordinator need to discuss with line manager on possible options and have to review the medical certificate given by the General Medical practioner.
- Review the process and make necessary amendments
