What to do when you have an employee off sick with stress?

The HR Blog

Stress at work is a major issue. The best way to tackle work-related stress is to look out for the signs and tackle it fast.

Signs of workplace stress and depression include:

  • Employees not enjoying the work they do
  • Employees who are withdrawn and not socialising with team members
  • Lethargy and disinterest
  • Poor punctuality
  • Frequent absenteeism
  • Employees who are aggressive or argumentative with fellow workers
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Poor personal hygiene or lack of attention to appearance

If you have an employee off sick from work with stress, there are a number of steps you, as an employer, can follow to remedy the situation and get your employee back to work. The support people receive when they are suffering from stress will determine how well and how quickly they are able to get back to optimum performance.

Mental Health charity, Mind, have some useful resources on ‘how to support staff who are experiencing a mental health problem’ here is the link https://www.mind.org.uk/media/550657/resource4.pdf which can be applied to anyone suffering from stress.

Tackling work-related stress

Establish the reason your employee is off sick

This needs to be done sensitively in private and with compassion. Many employees in this situation will find it difficult to talk about stress at work, but you need to find out the cause so you can rectify it. Be patient and allow your staff member time to explain.

Make reasonable adjustments

Once you are aware that an employee is off sick with work-related stress, you have a duty of care as an employer to carry out a risk assessment and consider making reasonable adjustments. Consider changes to working arrangements to help your employee get back to work quickly. Perhaps late starts, flexible working or reduced hours for a period will help. A reduction in responsibilities for a period of time may also help your employee to feel less overwhelmed. You should try to find solutions that will ease the pressure and help your employee get back to work in an environment where they feel supported.

Develop an action plan

Establish early warning signs and triggers to look out for and what support they need. Talk through positive steps the individual can take (such as taking regular breaks or asking for help).

Set up a return to work plan

Schedule weekly catch-ups to prioritise workload and assess progress.

Most importantly…

Send a clear message that employee well-being matters.

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