Case Studies

Because sickness absence is a business reality affecting organisations just like yours, here are some real life examples.

Example 1

A supervisor taking irregular short spells of absence - with colds, viral infections and stomach ache - was assessed by Health Management, who determined that there were no serious underlying health problems. The Occupational Health Physician recommended setting attendance targets within a disciplinary framework, advice followed by the HR manager.

The employee's absence record improved to less than the company's average, saving 10 days' absence at £113 a day.

Example 2

An IT manager with repetitive strain injury had been off sick for four months, having been provided with regular Med 3 certificates by her GP. Health Management determined that she would benefit from physiotherapy, a workstation assessment and a phased return to work - and also liaised with the Disability Employment Advisors to obtain funding for voice-activated software and an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. The manager returned to work within the month, instead of having an open-ended absence that could ultimately have resulted in a claim against the employer.

The manager returned to work within the month, instead of having an open-ended absence that could ultimately have resulted in a claim against the employer. The referral potentially saved the company £15,000 (based on the employees salary of £42,000 and six months' sick pay), delays to the launch of a new IT system, and further disruption caused by the loss of an important employee.

Example 3

A de-motivated manager of a group of shops had been off sick for three months with stress. The Occupational Health Physician identified an urgent need for counselling, which was organised through Health Management's own network of counsellors. A phased return to work programme was devised, organisational shortcomings were identified and addressed, the employee felt supported by the organisation and returned to work.

The company was saved further disruption, another three months sick pay (at least £3,000) and a potential claim under the Disability Discrimination Act which could have been tens of thousands of pounds.