How managers can support stay at work and return to work

Managers and supervisors are important

Research suggests that manager behaviours can be one of the most important predictors of successful stay-at-work and return-to-work outcomes. Manager behaviours that influence return-to-work outcomes may include:

• noticing changes in an individual’s behaviour or performance that suggests they need additional support or adjustments
• providing work adjustments or support early to minimise time away from work
• ensuring adjustments made do not negatively impact other team members, e.g. adding undue or unforeseen pressure on them
• providing social support and listening to problems about work
• providing feedback, recognition or coaching to help people complete their expected tasks
• influencing the team’s approach and attitudes towards providing support and/or covering a person’s workload
• shaping the team culture to create an environment of fairness, respect and non-discrimination
• finding ways to balance the needs of individuals with the needs of the organisation
• minimising psychosocial hazards to prevent psychological injuries or exacerbations of existing mental ill-health.

Tips for managers and supervisors

• Maintain an appropriate level of regular contact while someone is on leave and discuss return to work when this is appropriate. It is important to help people feel connected to the organisation, and not pressured into returning before they are ready. 
• If appropriate, appoint a coordinator to facilitate the individual’s return to work. This can help if it is challenging to identify ways that work can be adjusted. 
• Engage human resources / people and culture teams early, so individuals have other people to talk to about their return to work. This is important if there is something they are uncomfortable discussing with you as their manager.
• Take a collaborative approach to identify what people need to stay at work or return to work by asking them, e.g. ‘What's going to work best for you?’ The ability to control aspects of the return-to-work process is important for helping people return to work.
• Develop a clear, written return-to-work plan that incorporates reasonable adjustments so everyone is clear about what is happening and when. Keep your approach fair, consistent and flexible. Monitor and evaluate these adjustments and refine them as necessary. 
• Consider a contingency plan to ensure continued support is available for workers if you need to take leave.
• Work with the individual to understand what they are comfortable sharing with others in the team. Talk through how you can balance their need for privacy with keeping the team informed about what is happening.
• Identify any potential perceived barriers in the workplace (e.g. in policy or ways of working) and prioritise solutions for a safe and early return to work. 
• Provide suggestions about how to organise reasonable adjustments to match and support the individual’s level of capacity.
• Create a plan for how to respond if the individual experiences an increase in symptoms at work, including whether it is appropriate for you as their manager to reach out to support people or health professionals.
• Reach out to relevant professionals for help if you are uncertain about what to do. This could be for expert advice from human resources, return-to-work coordinators or independent occupational physicians or mental health professionals. Be mindful of confidentiality and your workplace's policies in this process.
• Check in on the broader team to understand how they are adjusting to any changes in workload or challenges that may emerge as part of the return-to-work process and address any concerns immediately.
• Do not focus on whether someone’s experience is ‘real’ or not. Instead, focus on the return-to-work process and approach the individual from a position of care and compassion.
• Make time to look after yourself and seek support if you are finding the process personally challenging.

Managers play a really important role in the return-to-work process—managing both the person returning to work and the wider team. But no-one expects you to know all the answers. Talk to the person returning. Talk to the rest of the team. And, if you need support, talk to your manager or HR, or ask for some training. 

Managers and supervisors can also challenge common myths about mental health and return to work within their teams. Helpful messages that managers can reinforce include:

• Someone’s experience of mental ill-health is only one of many elements of who they are.
• With almost half of all Australian’s likely to experience a mental illness at some point in their lives, it is likely we will be working closely with many people who have a lived experience of mental ill-health.
• People experiencing mental ill-health can remain at or return to work with the right adjustments and support. 
• The experience of mental ill-health can vary from day to day, so what someone can do one day might not be the same as what they can do the next. If in doubt, ask them rather than assume what they can and cannot do.
• Maintaining contact with someone on leave can help in their recovery and help them stay connected to the workplace.

Talking about mental ill-health

Managers and supervisors can benefit from training to help them manage mental ill-health in the workplace. This may include identifying the signs of mental ill-health, how to talk about mental ill-health, how to work with people to make accommodations, and building an understanding that some conditions may be ongoing or recur.

These additional tips can help managers prepare for conversations about mental ill-health with members of their team. 

• Prepare for conversations that may become emotional. Consider what you would like to talk about, when and where to meet, and what language to use to signal care and respect.
• Be clear and tangible with any concerns about workplace performance. Use specific examples and focus on the behaviours rather than blaming anyone. 
• Be curious and ask questions about what supports someone thinks they may benefit from. They may be different to ideas you have thought of.
• Be clear about your boundaries. You can listen, care and support someone at work—however it is not your role to act as a mental health professional.
• Be aware of privacy and confidentiality. Be clear about what information will be shared, with whom and for what purpose. Advise individuals that you may need to share information if you believe they or someone else is in immediate danger.
• Know what support systems are in place within your organisation or externally, including whether these supports are available for all people working in the organisation (e.g. are labour hire workers covered?). This allows you to be informed and proactive when providing help.