In the review of “Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector” the Ministerial Task Force for Health, Safety and Productivity invited the Work Foundation to undertake a joint project with HSE to develop a profile for the “Well Managed Organisation”. Its objective was to promote board level leadership and to ensure that the public sector was in a position to lead by example on attendance management, health and well-being in the modern workplace. Top level leadership remains a key factor in making sure that these issues are addressed.
HSE worked closely with the Work Foundation on this project including the establishment of an advisory group drawn from Task Force departments and trade unions to advise on the approach. The Work Foundation, HSE and the advisory group identified four elements that the strategy:
To reflect these objectives the Work Foundation produced a suite of three products aimed at different levels of the management chain:
[206kb]. These are aimed at Chief Executives and board members. They are intended to support boards as they address sickness absence and promote a healthy workplace. They are designed to be part of a “whole systems” approach that: (a) links top level commitment to operational delivery; (b) tackles problems that are organisational rather than individual; and (c) involves employees and their representatives; [133kb]. These supplement the guidelines for boards. They provide a framework for considering the reduction of absence and the promotion of healthy attendance and sources of further expertise; [237kb] . This toolkit supplements the guidance for boards and HR directors. It is aimed at practitioners and will help them to: (a) identify management skills and training needs; (b) assess underlying causes of absence, especially where they might be improved through better work organisation and job design; and (c) implement best practice in engaging the workforce. It includes pointers to further sources of help and advice.