...and many employers are looking for simple but effective ways to support their managers and their employees in the return-to-work process for when employees go on long-term sick leave. The Midlands Engine has funded a new Return-to-Work scheme – PROWORK (PROmoting a sustainable and healthy return to WORK) as part of their Mental Health and Productivity Pilot.
PROWORK, led by Loughborough University, is a new evidence-based three-step online toolkit that helps support both employees and their managers in the return to work process during and after long term sickness absence. The toolkit is based on evidence that good quality communication and employee contact with the workplace combined with wellbeing support during sick leave can reduce the length of sickness absence by an average of 15-30 days.
For managers, there is a short training video, and there are checklists, record sheets and conversation examples in how to support employees on long term sick leave. For employees, there are actions to support their wellbeing, signposts to charities and other groups for additional support, and checklists and record sheets that help their return to work. For organisations that sign-up to the study, one group will be testing the toolkits to see if they help employees return to work more quickly whilst the other organisations will continue to provide the usual organisational support to employees. The latter will have access to the toolkits at the end of the study.
The researchers are looking for organisations to take part who are based in:
If you would like to find out more about the project and are interested in participating, please contact Dr Kate Godfree:k.godfree@lboro.ac.uk
Here at the VRA work really is our business. In the February 2023 edition of the OT News we ask the question "Work - is it really everyone's business?"
With 17 successful years of leading the way in improving workforce health, wellbeing and culture.
The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) has launched the Commission on the Future of Employment Support to develop evidence-led proposals for reform of our system of employment support and services.
Thousands of businesses across the UK will benefit from a new £6.4 million online service to help employers better support disabled people and those with health conditions in the workplace.
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