When an employee returns to work, especially after a “mental health” leave, there may be fear or uncertainty on the part of the supervisor and/or co-workers as well as for the employee. In some cases, unaddressed performance issues, previous conflicts with co-workers or concern about ongoing behaviours in the workplace are barriers to a successful reintegration into the workplace. Medical notes do not usually address any of these issues.
Our return-to-work planning is not a replacement for sound medical or rehabilitation programs, rather it is the way for workplaces to ensure they have done all they can to allow the employee’s return to be successful in terms of productivity, performance and sustainability.
Our past cases have included complex and diverse situations involving a range of mental health issues including:
- depression,
- bipolar,
- anxiety,
- PTSD,
- OCD
We have worked in:
- unionized environments
- healthcare
- and educational settings,
- industrial
- and high-risk settings,
- corporate head offices
- and small business settings
We have helped
- Professors
- engineers,
- nurses,
- bus drivers,
- receptionists
- and many others
All make a successful transition back into a work situation that effectively addressed the many issues that might have prevented them from staying at work.
Our approach is to understand the issues that existed before the leave, understand the situation that will exist after the return to work and develop a plan that addresses what the employee may need to stay productive, what they are willing to do to help themselves and how they want to deal with future issues as they arise. This comprehensive planning gives the supervisor a solid plan that honestly deals with the issues in an effective way.
The best time to call for our help is well before the employee actually returns to work.