Helping Your Employee Return to Work

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Even if the worker's absence for medical treatment was brief, return to work can be an adjustment for the worker and her coworkers. Some workers will be gung-ho to get back to their routine, while others will likely be apprehensive, nervous about facing coworkers and unsure if they're up to the tasks.

To make it less of an ordeal, communicate with the worker before the scheduled return date, suggests Winters.

"Look at the job the worker does and consider what accommodations are needed," Winters says. Discuss the needed accommodations both with the worker and HR and, if necessary, other workers that might be affected.

Winters once had a worker, out for medical leave, who had a long commute. He wasn't able to handle a full work day and the commute, so they arranged for him to work from home one day a week.

Frequently, there is a need to phase in work hours.

Among the questions to ask, Winters says:

What do we need to do ahead of time to make it a smooth return?
If the worker needs to rest during the day, can we accommodate that? The time to order a cot or lounger is before the return to work date, of course.
If the worker needs other accommodations, what do we need to do to make them happen?

Don't neglect the nuts-and-bolts of your worker's return, Winters suggests. "Make sure her computer is accessible, and the database is ready," she says. If a password needs to be changed or updated, get it done as soon as possible. If the worker needs an updated badge or parking pass to enter the building, get it done before the return so the first day is as hassle-free as possible, Winters advises.

Focus on phasing back into "normal." Even in the best case scenario, Winters says, the first week back is typically very stressful for a worker returning from medical leave.

Realize that it's often a fine line, Winters says, between accommodating a worker's special needs and alienating them and other workers. "Don't treat the person differently," she says, or act as if they are unable to perform as they did in the past. And if you have a heavy workload, don't assume they don't want to pitch in just as much as they did before.

When the employee returns, she may be so excited about getting back into a normal routine that she overdoes it, in fact. "Make sure the employee gets away from the desk and has a break," Winters says.

Remember you don't have to do everything alone. Experts say managers should remember to call on their HR department, who have dealt with return to work issues before and can advise managers on the legal and other aspects.

How to keep things moving smoothly. After the first week or so, you might schedule a meeting with your worker, to get feedback and find out if the current schedule and workload is acceptable.

If you have questions about policies and procedures, be sure to check in with someone in your HR department.