Sicknote diagnosis: Not fit for purpose?
You probably already know that sick notes are, in fact, called fit notes at present. In 2023, 11 million fit notes were issued (many repeat issues). 94% of them declared the recipient “unfit to work”, as opposed to “may be fit to work”.
The numbers have ballooned since the COVID-19 pandemic, with poor mental health a major driving force. The benefits bill jumped from about £40 billion to nearly £70 billion, and GPs, already under much pressure, are the ones on the front line signing people off.
Currently, the process is that a fit note is required after seven consecutive days of illness, including non-working days. For illness of less than seven days, self-certification is sufficient. It is mainly GPs who issue the fit notes (circa. 90%), but other healthcare professionals including hospital doctors, registered nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists are also able to.
With your agreement as employer, an equivalent document called an Allied Health Professional Health and Work Report can be issued by related occupations including osteopaths, speech and language therapists and dieticians, among many others.
If the fit note were to say “may be fit to work” you should discuss with your employee what changes could be made to help them return. If the changes cannot be agreed they must be deemed “unfit to work”.
The government is intervening.
With trials in fifteen areas at first, they want to take much of the burden off GPs, encouraging other professions to dispense fit notes and be more proactive in finding ways back into work. Real world solutions like getting people to the gym or providing confidence coaching, rather than simply declaring them unfit to work.
It is part of a wider strategy called Plan for Change. Getting people working is not only good for businesses like yours and the economy in general, but is also often accepted as being part of the solution for helping someone overcome long-term health issues, both by providing a sense of purpose and keeping them active.
Whether you are in one of the trial areas or not and would like help managing long-term sickness in your business, we can help – advising you on what you can do to solve problems, not what you can’t.
Could an EAP benefit your business?
An EAP, or to give it its full name an employee assistance programme, can complement almost any set of employee benefits. It is low cost, usually just a few pounds per employee per month. But while the list of benefits it comes with are targeted at your staff, it may actually be you that it helps most.
Here’s why.
EAP services are delivered by third-party professionals to your employees in total confidence. This may be by telephone or online using video, chat and even group support. They cover mental health and emotional well-being counselling such as anxiety, addiction, substance abuse, work-related problems, grief and bereavement.
The expertise available is wide-ranging and practical matters like legal advice, family support and finances are also covered.
A report from one provider found that in 2024, 30% of the calls it took were related to anxiety and low mood.
We are all human beings leading complex lives and when a struggle takes hold in one area, it will eventually impact others. So if someone suffers from anxiety, a family issue or substance abuse, their work will suffer too – sooner or later.
Moreover, as a voice of experience in their lives and an authority figure, they may ask you for support. You may want to help, but have little experience of what they are going through. Imagine both being able to get the issue resolved positively for all involved, without being made to feel out of your depth. That is what an EAP offers you as an employer.
At The HR Dept we can set you up with a comprehensive EAP. We’ll talk to you to discuss your business and your needs, and find something that suits you perfectly. Just ask if you are interested.
Redundancies: Survivor syndrome
In its original context, survivor syndrome refers to the guilty feelings that someone has when they make it through a traumatic event in which others lost their lives. In HR, it refers to the similar feelings which may be experienced by those who remain with you after a round of redundancies.
The guilt of keeping their job when close colleagues lost theirs may be enhanced by other feelings, including a fear that they may be next, imposter syndrome, ill-feeling at extra workload placed on them and loss of trust in leadership.
This will make them feel lousy and could translate into low morale, poor performance and productivity, stress, absenteeism, slower decision making and undue risk aversion. None of this is good for business.
You can’t control how people feel, but you can create an environment where these feelings are less likely. From the start, this includes following a fair redundancy process, looking after your departing employees (ask us about outplacement services), having open communication with remaining staff and outlining a clear vision for the future of the company.
It helps to show emotional intelligence too, like considering the optics of spending at this time. A lavish office refurb or new company cars after making redundancies will likely aggravate survivor syndrome.
Don’t let AI mean “Game Over” for human staff
A prominent mobile games developer has attracted the wrath of staff and negative headlines by making dozens of people redundant, reportedly replaced by AI tools the staff themselves had developed. The company cited “simplifying the organisation, fewer layers … fewer stakeholders for every project.”
AI is making a remarkable impact, and can offer efficiency and productivity gains. But it is not a holy grail, with many notable shortfalls too. These include inaccuracy – at best outdated information and at worst outright hallucination – as well as data protection concerns and questions about originality and copyright.
For example, in a crucial area like HR and employment law where legislation is constantly changing, it is easy for an AI to present last year’s rules on the national minimum wage or flexible working convincingly as if they were still applicable this year. Such a mistake could cost you dear.
Even if you have no intention of replacing staff with AI in your business, it may still be a concern for your employees. Weekly, news headlines are either extolling the virtues or running scare stories about AI capability. At its best, AI is a tool which can help staff become more productive. But be sensitive to morale as it is integrated into your business.
Buzz off!
An amusing survey into the latest corporate buzz word usage yielded interesting results.
“Move the needle”, “synergise”, “low hanging fruit” and “blue sky thinking” were the least understood buzz words; while the science and pharmaceuticals sector was the most proficient in using them, followed by marketing, advertising and PR.
About a third of people feel embarrassed or stupid when a buzz word they do not understand is thrown at them. This may present a problem for your business, either through misunderstanding an instruction and wasting time, or making people feel uncomfortable, unwelcome even.
When everyone is in on them, buzz words and jargon can add richness to your company culture. They may also allow for quick, efficient communication. Just ensure that no one is afraid to ask what is meant when you push the envelope or your finance team has a lot of balls in the air!
Put your money where HIS mouth was?
An insurance firm was ordered to pay nearly £15,000 in compensation to a former director after he was, among other things, told to “shut up” by the owner in front of colleagues.
It was a constructive dismissal case where blame was found on both sides (leading to a reduction in compensation of 50%), but the claim was upheld.
A former star employee had been headhunted back, with overtures that he was to eventually to buy out the business. However the owner and returning employee were left underwhelmed with each other and the relationship broke down over time.
With the judge citing the “shut up” incident in her ruling, it is a timely reminder to business owners that language and tone always matter, and it pays to remain calm and civil, even when you have had enough.
