Have the honest conversation

In the feedback from occupational health and safety professionals to you as an employer or manager you often find as the last piece of advice to start a conversation together, to discuss expectations about the reintegration with each other and to come to a concrete final goal together. Yet I, Simone Kolkman, as Labor and Health Advisor notice that this advice is hardly ever followed during the reintegration of an employee. It is a conversation in which you as supervisor discuss with the employee your own vision and expectations regarding absenteeism. This can sometimes be quite difficult and feel vulnerable. However, it is very important that everyone is honest in this conversation and that not only socially desirable answers are given.

An example is a scheduled conversation between supervisor and employee, where the supervisor asked if I could connect. The conversation began as it should with genuine interest and asking how things are going and whether the treatments are helping yet. After that, the supervisor was working very hard to figure out how to help employee get back to work: what adjustments to the work environment are needed, do working hours need to be adjusted, and what additional interventions can be put in place for employer. The employee remained very much on the surface during this part of the conversation, wasn't sure himself what was needed, and still found it very difficult to think about work. I asked the question whether the employee actually wanted to return to work at all. There was silence for a good ten seconds, after which the employee indicated that he did not want to return to work at all. The purpose of this conversation changed, and employee and manager decided by mutual agreement to terminate the contract.

What I am trying to make clear with this is that an employee may have a very different end goal in mind than the manager, or vice versa. But if this is not expressed, both parties may waste a lot of time and energy on a goal that will never be met, or which will not be sustainable.

But how do you conduct such an honest conversation? This involves quite a few interview techniques, as you cannot simply throw on the table as a manager that you have no confidence in an employee's recovery. Then the employee will not feel supported and may sink further into absenteeism. But having an open conversation in which you discuss doubts about sustainable employability , whether in one's own position or not, ensures honest answers and good reflection on the absenteeism situation. In order for these conversations to run smoothly, a good relationship with your employee is of unparalleled importance; building such a relationship with the employee should therefore not be done only when someone becomes ill, but is important precisely when there is no problem yet.

Would you like help making the honest conversation? Then contact your Labor and Health Advisor, they can advise and support you in having these conversations. De Arbodienst also provides various training and workshops to help you have the conversation with employees.