Just over a year ago the government launched the first phase of a new sickness absence service in the form of a telephone and online advice facility accessible to employees, employers and GPs. That service, Fit for Work, now includes a health assessment service, through which the reasons for employee absence can be assessed and opportunities for facilitating a return to work explored with the employer.
Eversheds had been involved in early discussions concerning the planned health assessment service and has followed its evolution closely. We were therefore keen to gauge feedback from employers as to how they have been interacting with Fit for Work and whether it is achieving its principal aim of getting employees back to work.
To explore this we conducted a short poll of our employment law practice clients. The 190 responses were from a broad spectrum of employers, including some with in-house occupational health resource. The results reveal extremely low take-up of Fit for Work so far.
The key findings were:
- 90% of respondents are aware of Fit for Work;
- 10% have used the helpline service, 72% of these respondents found it helpful;
- 13% have had employees referred for assessment, 50% of these respondents said it led to a return to work;
- 55% of employers are likely to refer their staff for assessment
Our results indicate low engagement with Fit for Work services. However, where interaction with the service had happened it was well received on the whole. For example, three-quarters of employers (72%) who had used the helpline service said it had proved helpful. The advent of the service appears to have prompted 17% of our respondents to re-address their sickness absence policies and procedures.
The key test for Fit for Work is the extent to which it facilitates a return to work. The results of our poll were more muted on this, with just 50% claiming the service had that effect. What is encouraging, despite this feedback, is that employers remain interested in the process and what it might offer, since more than half indicated they are likely to refer their staff for assessment in future.
So what next for Fit for Work? Fundamentally the service is all about improving dialogue between employers and employees with a view to getting people back into work as soon as is feasible. There are already small signs that employers are changing policy and that dialogue is increasing. But there is still much work to do to improve the numbers of employees referred to the service and positive employer experience of it.
Good reputation is never achieved overnight but Fit for Work must do all it can to raise its profile. Increased publicity is a vital aspect of this. Otherwise there is a risk that progress may prove too slow, meaning employers will not see the potential benefits and so will lose confidence. Momentum could then be lost.
Naeema Choudry is a partner at law firm Eversheds
