AIRMIC and CBI launch workplace rehabilitation campaign

Employers could save billions of pounds a year and reduce workplace disruption by taking a more active role in getting sick or injured staff back to work, AIRMIC and the CBI said earlier this week at the launch of a joint campaign to increase the use of workplace rehabilitation.

Other advantages include a happier, fitter, more motivated workforce, retention of key skills and lower compensation expenses leading to reduced insurance premiums.

The campaign encourages employers to get involved in absence management schemes that help sick or injured staff back to their jobs, even when the causes are not work-related. This may involve:

* Counselling
* Physiotherapy
* Finding alternative work for the sick or injured person
* Making access to the workplace easier
* Arranging private medical treatment in the event of long NHS waits.

To mark the launch, AIRMIC and the CBI have published two booklets entitled “Helping staff back to work,” one aimed at senior staff, the other at line managers. These provide simple advice and give case histories to illustrate the advantages of best practice.

A key message is to get in early. Once someone has been off work for a long period, they lose the motivation and self-belief to return to work.

Although not directly involved in the campaign, the TUC strongly supports the objective of increased workplace rehabilitation. It is also backed by several other organisations, including the Engineering Employers’ Federation and the Association of British Insurers.

“Executives are fond of saying that their people are their greatest assets. We’re saying, look after your people and they will look after your business,” said AIRMIC chairman Andrew Cornish. “There are some excellent examples of British employers enabling their staff to return to work. The challenge now is to spread the word to the many firms that still have a long way to go.”

In a speech to AIMIC’s annual conference at Brighton, CBI Director-General Sir Digby Jones said: “Active intervention, through providing occupational health and rehabilitation support, benefits both employers and employees by helping absent staff return to work quickly. Helping an employee back to work, so that he or she can make a living and regain self-confidence more quickly, is ultimately in everyone’s best interest.”

The initiative will continue after the conference with a series of seminars around the country planned to start in the autumn plus the development of web-based resources.

Many insurers have rehabilitation schemes to help staff back to work where an insurance claim is expected. A Rehabilitation Code, supported by all the main associations for insurers and personal injury lawyers, can be downloaded from www.iua.co.uk

•Date: 16th June 2005 • Region: UK • Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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