Home » Blog » Here are five reasons not to contact an employee whilst they’re off sick

There can be a huge temptation to contact an employee whilst they’re off sick, particularly in smaller companies. It may be that they are the only one who knows the name of an important contact, or perhaps they’re the only one who can remind you of the final decision made about the team budget.  But hold off!  However tempting it may be, and however much you think you must absolutely have that information, here are some great reasons for not contacting employees whilst off sick.

1. Adequate time to rest

Some employees are taking sick days as a way of getting some rest from work. With the ability to constantly stay in touch, this has become harder and harder.

2. Aggravating the illness

Where an employee is suffering from an illness that could be worsened by you getting in contact, then you should seriously consider what is the right thing to do. Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and work-related stress can all be aggravated by contact from an employer.

It is vital to have some consideration for your employee and their condition before making contact. A healthy business culture is one that doesn’t expect staff to always be available.  You could  also  create a snowball effect that only delays their return to work.

3. Pressurising staff to return too soon

While you may not mean to, contacting an employee whilst they’re off sick could exert pressure on them to come back before they are ready. If your call makes them feel guilty for being off, they could return before they truly feel able to.

As well as the potential to aggravate the situation, you may be encouraging a staff member to return who is still contagious. Not only will they still be feeling under the weather and therefore not fully productive, you could be risking your other staff members catching the illness!

4. Proliferating the “always on” culture

A recent report from breathehr found that more than half (52%) of UK employees answer work emails whilst they were off sick or away on annual leave. This “always on” culture is prevalent in today’s business world; technology makes it easy tap out a quick email reply on the train home or to check for messages just before we go to bed.  But this sort of continual connection to our working lives is not good for us. Being available like this makes us put extra pressure on ourselves, which is not good for long-term productivity, motivation and sometimes health.

5. Can they even help?

Before contacting an employee who is off sick in the hope of them helping out with some crucial information or advice, properly consider whether they will be able to give you the information you need.  . They are certainly unlikely to have any documents or files at home, and it’s very possible that they may have trouble remembering the precise information you are after.

Conclusion

Of course, there are some situations when it is necessary to contact staff who are off sick. If you’re undergoing changes that could have resounding consequences on the individual or the business, for example, then it would be wise to get in touch.

Likewise, sensitive and previously arranged contact can often put a longer-term sick employee at ease and stop them feeling isolated and out of touch. Facilitating the logistics of a smooth return to work is easier when there has been some level of contact throughout the absence.

But you should always exercise caution before you contact an employee whilst they’re off sick, and assess why you need to contact them, what impact it will have and whether it can wait.

If you need with your sickness policy, please contact us on 07810 563 676

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