Sick management templates toolkit

What is sick absence?

Sick absence refesr to the presence or absence of employees during scheduled working hours due to illness or health-related reasons. 

Sick management templates are essential for managing a low-risk, compliant Sick management process.

Common mistakes

Understand the common mistakes employers can make when managing this area of HR, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled fairly, consistently and correctly.

• Failing to record absence accurately – Incomplete records make it difficult to identify patterns or manage absence consistently.
• Ignoring repeated short-term absence – Treating frequent short absences as unrelated events rather than considering whether a pattern exists.
• Relying only on absence triggers – Treating a trigger as an automatic outcome rather than starting a meaningful management conversation.
• Failing to hold return-to-work discussions – Missing an important opportunity to understand the absence and identify support needs.
• Ignoring underlying issues – Focusing solely on attendance without considering workplace, health or other relevant factors.
• Failing to obtain appropriate medical advice – Making assumptions about an employee's health rather than obtaining relevant information where appropriate.
• Managing employees inconsistently – Allowing managers to apply different standards to similar absence situations.
• Ignoring long-term absence – Allowing an extended absence to continue without appropriate review, communication and planning.

What is a typical sick management process workflow?

Here we show you which resources to use to effectively address an emerging absence concern, taking into account the different decisions and directions that are likely / possible.

Following this flowchart will ensure that you factor in all eventualities, follow legal / code of conduct or best practice processes, communicate effectively, and reduce the risk of things going wrong.

FAQs

What is sickness absence management?

Sickness absence management is the process of supporting employees who are absent because of illness while maintaining appropriate attendance and business arrangements.

Should employers hold return-to-work meetings?

Return-to-work discussions can help employers understand the reason for an absence, identify support needs and ensure records are accurate.

When should sickness absence be reviewed?

The timing depends on the circumstances, length and frequency of absence and the employer's policies. Formal reviews may be appropriate where absence becomes prolonged or frequent.

Can employers ask for medical evidence?

Employers can request appropriate medical evidence in certain circumstances, subject to applicable rules and the employee's rights.

Can sickness absence lead to formal action?

In some circumstances, prolonged or persistent absence may lead to a formal capability or absence management process. Employers should consider the individual circumstances and appropriate support.

Why use HRDocBox to support sickness management?

HRDocBox combines real-world HR experience, subject-matter expertise and commercial understanding to support effective sickness management with practical, tried-and-tested resources. With instant access, editable documents, ongoing updates and 12 months' access, you get practical HR support when you need it.