Foster a Welcoming Workplace Environment
An injury can become an incredibly physical and mental challenge for employees. After being away from the office or job site for a prolonged period, employees may feel anxious about resuming their daily work routine.
Businesses can help ease their staff’s anxiety by fostering a welcoming and supportive workplace environment. Morning greetings, check-ins, welcome back cards, and even reunion meetings can help remind employees that they have support as they readjust to their work lives.
What To Avoid When Welcoming Back Employees
While you should create a warm and welcoming workplace environment for employees returning to work, you must also preserve their privacy and follow HIPAA standards.
One of the most common HIPAA violations offices commit is speaking about employee’s personal health information. Regardless of the circumstances revolving around an employee’s health, managers must ensure that this information remains private.
Initiate Regular Communication Meetings
Before resuming daily duties and tasks in the office, business owners and managers should meet with returning employees. These initial return meetings are crucial opportunities to communicate with employees about essential goals, such as:
- Expectations
- Monthly goals
- Available return-to-work resources
You can discuss needs, concerns, and accommodations during these communication meetings. Managers can also use this opportunity to craft an outline for slowly reintroducing employees back into their usual routine and tasks.
Consider Retraining
Even when employees are experts at their jobs, injuries can rattle their productivity and make simple tasks more complicated. As a result, when companies have employees returning from an extended leave of absence, they should consider retraining their staff. Although it may take time and resources to retrain employees, managers can have peace of mind knowing that employees are educated on all the updated protocols for their job. Employees can also rest easy knowing that their return to work will include a refreshing and supportive training program.
Losing an employee to an injury can be challenging for any office. When your employees come back, consider implementing these tips for helping employees return to work. Following this guide will help ensure that your employees are more happy, healthy, and successful.