The Benefits of a Return To Work Program
Return to work programs represent a safe and productive way for workers to return to the job after an extended absence most commonly due to injury, sickness or other challenging life event. They are meant to be flexible in order to accommodate an employee’s needs, so they usually aren’t a permanent solution for any individual worker.
It might seem like staying home indefinitely is the best option for someone who has taken leave from work because of a serious illness or other personal problems. However, extended time away from employment can have negative consequences on future career prospects. A return to work program can help employees re-enter the workforce as quickly as possible while also protecting the company against associated risks.
Read on for some pros and cons of this type of arrangement.
What is a return to work program?
A return to work program is a temporary way to get employees back on the job while they recuperate from an illness or injury or care for a family member. In order to participate, they must be able to perform the essential functions of their job with or without special accommodations and be expected to complete their tasks in a safe and timely manner.
A return to work program could take many different forms: – Working remotely from home and/or with flexible hours has become especially popular since 2020. Employees could be on a reduced schedule, such as working four days per week instead of five. – They could also be on a different schedule than their co-workers, such as being on call for emergencies on nights and weekends. – Accommodations might include an adjusted pay scale, such as being paid a percentage of their normal salary.
Pros of a Return to Work Program
Employees get paid while they’re healing. It’s easy to get caught up in worrying about how illness or injury is affecting their quality of life, and become a source of financial stress and strain.
Working and getting a paycheck can help reduce those financial burdens. Employees can keep their skills and credentials current. If they are a professional who is used to working at a specific level of proficiency, it’s important to stay active and maintain skills. Otherwise, they risk losing their ability to perform at a high level.
Return to work programs allow employees to stay connected with their professional network. It’s common for people to develop strong connections with co-workers and colleagues at networking events and conferences. By staying active and working, even in a different capacity, they continue to maintain those connections while they heal.
Believe it or not, employees often develop a stronger relationship with their employers too. Everyone benefits when both employee and employer are happy with the arrangement.
Employer Benefits
- Employees who return to work, even at a lower capacity level, may collect fewer disability benefits than if they stayed at home. Both employee and employer have more control over the financial impact of extended absences.
- Hiring temporary workers, contract employees, or redistributing workload across the current workforce can incur hidden costs, impacting both finances and workplace morale.
- A return to work program allows injured employees to return to work in at least some capacity of their regular productivity level. This benefits both the employer and the employee by preserving expertise, job site knowledge, and vendor/customer relations.
- Employees who return to work often means lower overall workers’ compensation costs.
Employee Benefits
- Employees who return to work will not lose their skills, and won’t need to be retrained.
- Employees who know there’s a clear plan in place for their return, typically experience a more successful return to work.
- Employees typically retain more of their earning potential
- Employees do not lose employment status.
When Would a Return to Work Program be Appropriate?
When employees are facing lengthy absences from work, due to an illness or injury, a return to work program could provide an easy way back to the job while they continue to recuperate. If the absence is expected to last long enough to make it difficult to find another job, employees may be more likely to be offered a return to work program by their current employer.
If you’ve recently given birth or taken leave for a child’s birth, a return to work program could make it easier to adjust back to work without disrupting the child’s routine. It’s also common for new parents to face pressure to return to work as quickly as possible. A return to work program can help ease back into a normal workload without stressing out your child or yourself.
A Return to Work program benefits everyone
A return to work program can be a helpful and safe way to ease employees back into the job after an extended absence. It may be helpful to think of a return to work program as a structured tryout: Employees can get back into the swing of things without risking their job by committing to a full-time schedule right away.
It’s important to remember that there are many different types of leaves that employees can take. A return to work program is one way to ease employees back into the job while also protecting the company against any associated risks.
