17th August 2021 4 MIN READ •Employer Advice •Talos Attract
The rise of remote and hybrid working has brought about new challenges for HR. It goes without saying that a lack of face-to-face interaction makes it more difficult to manage employee wellbeing, and in some cases, maintain engagement. Here we discuss the importance of sick days and wellbeing leave for remote and hybrid employees.
Why sick days are still important for remote workers
Sick days are an important part of any workplace. More than simply reducing the risk of infection, they offer employees the time and space they need to make a full recovery.
Here’s why sick days are just as important for remote workers:
1 – Promoting employee wellbeing
Sick days are important for maintaining employee wellbeing. Illness affects us in more than just a physical sense; it’s incredibly taxing on our mental wellbeing.
Encouraging remote employees to work throughout sick periods can compromise their personal wellbeing, leading to further health and wellness challenges. This may lead to lengthened periods of sickness, and decreased morale/motivation in their roles.
Read more: The problem with employee surveillance software
2 – Reducing the risk of burnout
Employee burnout is on the rise. The remote working environment has seen professionals across many sectors taking their responsibilities out of hours.
When remote employees are facing illness, it can become even more challenging to fulfil their roles to a high standard. This increases pressure on your colleagues, leading to stress, and an increased risk of burnout.
It’s therefore important to give remote workers the time and space they need to focus on their wellbeing, and make a full recovery.
3 – Protecting your employer brand
Any factor that affects employee wellbeing also impacts your employer brand reputation. If you fail to recognise the needs and expectations of your remote workers, your brand may gain a negative reputation among employees.
Protect the integrity of your employer brand by supporting remote workers, offering sick leave and flexibility as and when needed. This will help you to maintain your position as an ‘employer of choice’, while supporting the wellbeing of your colleagues.
How to support remote & hybrid workers on sick leave
While managing remote and hybrid workers may seem like a complex responsibility, the principles of effective leadership remain the same. Here’s how you should support remote/hybrid employees through sickness and wellbeing leave:
– Offer flexibility as and when needed
If employees feel as though they need time away from work to recover, make sure they feel comfortable in asking for this.
Your policies on sick leave and flexibility shouldn’t change for home-based employees. It’s important to ensure they’re aware of their entitlements, and have the proper processes in place to access these.
– Draw a boundary between remote working and sick leave
Working from home isn’t the same as taking a sick day. It’s important to draw a boundary between remote working and wellbeing leave; don’t pressure employees to work from home throughout periods of illness.
This is especially important for hybrid workers, who split their time between the office and home environment. Make sure they feel comfortable in asking for sick leave, rather than simply opting to work from home.
– Treat hybrid/remote workers the same as your in-house colleagues
A change in working environment doesn’t alter your responsibilities over employees’ health and wellbeing. Treat remote and hybrid workers the same as you would your in-house colleagues. Offer the same sick leave entitlement, and facilitate any flexibility they may need.
If one of your in-house colleagues fell ill, you wouldn’t expect them to turn up to the office. Apply the same principle to your remote workers; make sure to draw a line between flexible working and paid sick leave.
– Check in with workers taking sick leave
Check in with your remote employees regularly throughout periods of illness. Make sure they feel comfortable in taking time to recover, and don’t feel pressured to carry on working.
Plan a return to work as they recover, but treat this the same as you would for in-house employees.
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