Our occupational health services are also specifically there for the employer!

Of course, the Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) is about ensuring a healthy and safe working environment for employees, to prevent accidents and illnesses caused by work. However, when you look at the practical implementation, the daily work of our case managers actually revolves around the employer. The advice is aimed at keeping the risk of absenteeism as low as possible and thereby limiting the costs of absenteeism.

By Myrtille van Hout

Human capital
Let’s not beat around the bush: a colleague who is at home due to illness costs money. That’s why it’s extremely important that your employees feel good about themselves. They are your human capital, which only yields returns if they can do their work well.

Managing loss and damage
We sometimes hear employers say that the occupational health service is only there for the employee(s). Nothing could be further from the truth if you look at our unique approach. What is true, is that absenteeism always costs money. But how much money, you have more influence on that than you might think. That’s why our occupational health services focus on managing loss and damage, on saving: how can the employer keep the costs of absenteeism as low as possible.

Taking the right steps
The first telephone report of illness is often stressful for the employee and requires a good response from the employer. Employers can sometimes move too quickly, causing the employee to lose trust and as a result, not dare to take action. Slowing down a bit means the employee will return to work sooner, which is also managing loss and damage.

The original cause
Medical guidance is provided by the employee’s own healthcare provider. Based on a medical assessment, the occupational physician determines the degree of employability. But is a visit to the occupational physician always necessary? First, have a good conversation about what is really going on. Sometimes there are underlying problems, for example, financial issues. In that case, it may be better to bring in a budget coach to create some peace of mind first. Because if there is uncertainty about a basic necessity, the resulting stress can lead to a report of illness. By having a good conversation with the supervisor or case manager, you can discover the original cause, which doesn’t always have to be medical. That may call for a completely different and perhaps cheaper solution.

Ask yourself the question: what can I influence?
You have little or no influence over the course of your employee’s illness. But you certainly do have influence over how you manage absenteeism. An adapted workplace, working from home, giving more flexibility when children need to be home-schooled: these are simple adjustments that can make a big difference for the employee. And they can therefore have a major impact on absenteeism.

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