• Identifying underlying causes of absence
• Putting a robust policy in place
• Identifying trends through recording and benchmarking
• Absence and the ageing work force

• Likely outcomes of the DWP Sickness Absence Review
• Notifying sickness absence:
  • Fit notes, 18 months on: Are they encouraging discussion between employer and employee.
  • Preparing for electronic fit notes
• Absence and patient confidentiality – Access to Medical Reports Act 1988
• The best ways of managing the capability process
• Dealing formally with unacceptable absence - what can go wrong and how to avoid it including disability discrimination risks

• Understanding illnesses and common obstacles to returning to work: mental illness, cancer, musculoskeletal and cardio respiratory
• Keeping in touch and encouraging discussion between the line manager and an absent employee
• Obtaining medical advice and ensuring the advisor understands the working environment
• The link between sickness and disability rights, reasonable adjustment
• Managing return to work
• Phased return to work / amended duties:  What if you can’t accommodate changes or are unable to come to a return to a working agreement with employee and/or line manager?

Delegates will be given the opportunity to talk through these discussion points in small groups before the panel begins.

• Dismissal on the grounds of ill health
• Incapacity dismissals – what an employment tribunal will consider
• Dismissing employee who are in receipt of PHI

• Aims of the service
• Initiatives
• Working with occupational health professionals
• Managing return to work

• Wellbeing from within – Establishing a wellness culture
• Empowering managers – Managing W.E.L.L.
• Empowering employees – Wellbeing champions
• Making it relevant – Involving teams at all levels
• Beyond absence – Additional benefits of the programme

• Why stress management needs to be given priority – the business benefits
• Increasing awareness of work-related stress among line managers
• Introducing a stress risk assessment approach and the barriers we can face
• Supporting staff through change to reduce stress

• Costs associated with absence and how to reduce unnecessary costs,
• Cheap or free initiatives to reduce absence
• Rewarding employees for their attendance rather than concentrating on absence
• What can SMEs do to reduce absence?

Delegates will be given the opportunity to talk through these discussion points in small groups before the panel begins.