Supporting work participation

How workplaces can support people to stay or return to work

These principles and practices can help people stay at work or return to work regardless of the cause of mental ill-health. This support is vital because research shows that when people are not properly supported, the return-to-work outcomes following periods of mental ill-health can be worse than outcomes for time off due to physical injuries or illness.

Following some general principles can help you support someone experiencing mental ill-health stay at work or return to work. Keep in touch with people while they’re on leave, find out if they need any adjustments, and work with them to develop a plan that works for them and for your organisation. 

Foster a workplace that supports mental health where mental health and mental ill-health can be discussed safely without fear of judgement or discrimination. Workplaces that are unsafe, tense or toxic can be harmful and counterproductive, and may negatively affect people remaining or returning. By not providing good working conditions, your organisation may also not comply with work health and safety obligations. Creating a mentally healthy workplace requires action at all levels of an organisation, from top management setting the tone and priorities through to individual workers acting with respect and consideration. Read more about creating a mentally healthy workplaces in the Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces.

Engage managers. Line managers are well placed to provide support and are often responsible for day-to-day management of reasonable adjustments. It is important that managers are also aware of the needs and impacts on the broader team as well as individuals experiencing mental ill-health. Given this critical role, managers may benefit from training in this area, as well as developing strategies for looking after themselves in this process.

Support early intervention. Providing early supports such as temporary reductions in hours, working from home arrangements or support through services such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help people stay at work during periods of mental ill-health. Intervening early may mean someone does not need to take extended time off.

Apply the same approach for managing return to work for mental ill-health as you would for a physical injury or illness. Many of the principles for supporting people to return to work are the same regardless of whether the issue is physical or psychological. Treating people with compassion and listening to what they need and working collaboratively to find solutions is important.

Create a return-to-work policy for your workplace. Some jurisdictions require workplaces to have return-to-work policies in place. However, even if this is not a requirement, having a clear policy can help to provide quick and fair support if it is required. This policy can state the organisation’s commitment to helping people return to work, as well as agreed procedures, actions, supports and people responsible for acting. 

A return-to-work policy sets out agreed procedures, actions, supports and the people responsible for taking action. 

A return-to-work coordinator manages the return-to-work process. It might be the owner or manager in a small business. Large organisations often have a dedicated return-to-work coordinator. 

Make sure to involve people in creating this policy, possibly including people who have experienced mental health challenges or mental illness that required time off work, and ensure people have the skills required to take actions assigned to their role. It is also important to regularly build awareness of this policy, ensure managers receive training in how to apply the policy and people can access supports without fear of repercussions.

Have a formal, written return-to-work plan. Some jurisdictions require people to have a return-to-work plan, however, it is also good practice to have a formal return-to-work plan for several reasons. These plans reflect agreed expectations, supports, involvement of other people and any adjustments required to support a return to work. These plans should focus on what people can do, agreed working hours and avenues of communication, and identify possible solutions to challenges that may come up in the process.

Appoint a return-to-work coordinator. Some larger organisations may be required to appoint a designated return-to-work coordinator. In smaller organisations, this person may be business owner or manager. This person is important for helping navigate some of the challenges that can occur returning to work. This may include navigating paperwork, identifying reasonable adjustments or negotiating agreements where people have conflicting views on an issue. 

These people should receive training to make sure they are competent in areas such as communication, mental health in the workplace and legal requirements related to return to work. These roles should also be adequately resourced to provide the planned support.

Depending on your organisation’s needs, you may also wish to engage external organisations to provide return-to-work coordination support if this is not something you regularly require or to increase resourcing of this function at times of heightened need.

Respect people’s privacy. Experiences of mental ill-health can be personal, and people have the right to keep information about their mental health private. It is important that you check in with people about what they are comfortable sharing with others and agree to how information about their leave and return to work will be communicated. If you need to tell others about what is going on for planning or safety reasons, provide only essential and agreed information.

Keep in contact with people while they are on leave. Early, regular and sensitive contact while people are away from the workplace can play a key role in helping them return to work more quickly. This contact signals that people care about their wellbeing and helps maintain a connection to the workplace and team. It is important that check-ins are authentic and focus on their wellbeing, otherwise it can be experienced as pressuring them to return to work.

The level and type of contact will depend upon the circumstances and should be agreed together. It could be through formal channels such as email or privately through phone calls or text messages. By sticking to an agreed plan for keeping in touch, people can feel connected while still having the distance they may need.

If someone is too unwell to be contacted directly, they may provide permission for you to talk to someone else, such as a family member or friend. 

Reassure people you are looking forward to having them back—when they are ready. If people need time away from work, it is important that they understand the door is open for them to return. However, it is important that conversations about what return to work plans are not experienced as pressure to return to work before they are ready. 

Take a supportive approach to return to work. Working together to identify the best ways to support return to work can be empowering. It can create a sense of shared responsibility and a common understanding about what people feel they can do. 

It can also help to foster a sense of resilience and trust that allows people to raise issues or challenges they experience as they return to work. It can also help a person maintain a healthy balance of activities and duties and set boundaries that support recovery.

Some helpful tips

Do

• Ensure your approach is genuine, fair and consistent, while being flexible enough to adapt to individual circumstances.  
• Tailor your approach and work collaboratively with individuals.
• Discuss return to work with the worker as early as possible to let them know they will be supported and discuss how this might happen. 
• Offer a variety of options to the employee for a flexible return to work. 
• Provide the worker with adjustments, flexible working practices or job task modifications to accommodate their capabilities or specific needs.
• Consider the benefits of a ‘buddy’—a co-worker who can be prepared to play an informal role in supporting the returning worker to transition back into the workplace.  
• Monitor and evaluate these adjustments carefully and improve them when required.
• Where appropriate, inform workers of supports or initiatives that can support them to stay at work. 
• Discuss appropriate leave arrangements if people need time off because of mental ill-health.
• Get help from mental health or return-to-work professionals if you feel you need it.

Do not

• Link everything that the worker says or does with their experience of mental ill-health. 
• Assume the person can only return to work when they are 100% fit. 
• Make assumptions about the worker's medical circumstances, capabilities, or what they find stressful or demanding. If in doubt, ask them.