Individual 1
Assessment
2
Tasks
Individual
Individual health assessment is about an organisation’s activities
undertaken to understand, manage and rehabilitate an employee’s health so
that they are able to continue to function as a productive member of a team.
The line manager may need help to make necessary adjustments to the
person’s workspace so that their on-going working needs, as well as their
health and safety needs are met.
3
Wellbeing
The 5-step HWA process
Identifying
the need
REACTIVE
PROACTIVE
management
of health
risks
management
of health
risks
1
What are
the Health
issues?
Identifying Individual health issues:
• A person’s behaviour changes
• Absence reports indicate that a person is
suffering from an illness
• Health check surveys may highlight underlying
health illnesses not yet fully presented
• Organisational health assessments
• Reports from Occupational Health Specialists
The line manager should look to provide an early
response to health issues identified
Look to see if your
employees need any
help. Do not wait for
them to have to ask
Feel confident to talk
to your employee about
health issues; guidance
suggests that talking
is best even if you do
make a few mistakes
2
Who
does this
apply to?
Assessing
the risk
3
How
serious
is it?
4
What
needs to
be done?
Monitoring
& reviewing
5
Are the
controls
working?
Do’s and don’ts for keeping in touch
DON’T
DO
3C
onsider training for your managers on a sensitive
approach to help them get the most out of contact
3C
reate a climate of trust by agreeing beforehand your
methods, frequency and reasons for keeping contact with
absent employees
3K
eep a note of contacts made
3B
e flexible, treat each case individually but on a fair and
consistent basis
3C
arry out return to work interviews
3W
elcome your employee back after their absence
3G
ive your people the opportunity to discuss in private,
concerns about their health or other matters that are
affecting their performance or attendance
3R
emember that medication can have side effects on things
like physical stamina, mood, machinery operation and
safety critical tasks
Speak to your HR
manager about
the Equality Act
if your workplace
adjustments
are going to be
difficult
8 W
ait until someone is on
long-term sick leave before
taking action
8 D
elay making contact or
pass responsibility to others
unless there are sound
reasons for doing so
8 M
ake assumptions about
your employee’s situation
8 S
ay that people are under
pressure or that work is
piling up
8 F
orget that recovery times
for the same condition
can vary significantly from
person to person
Work with colleagues and your people to
create a plan to help the person remain in
work or return to work
Fitness to work plan
• The goal of the plan, eg modified work place,
alternative working hours
Your Occupational
• The time period of the plan
Health Specialists
need your input to
• Identification of professionals involved
understand how
• A statement of alternative working arrangements
rehabilitation plans
• Identification of additional risk assessments and controls
are working
• How to approach the team about adjustments
• Information about any impact on terms and conditions
• What checks will be made to make sure it is put into practice
• Dates when the plan will be reviewed with the person, and by whom
• Signatures of agreement – person, line manager etc
5
points to be
aware of...
1 Consider the individual
health of your employees
2 Be proactive when you
see a person’s health is
affecting their work
3 Do talk to your employees
4 Do create a fitness to work
plan to guide rehabilitation
5 Do use your HR and OH
specialists
The Workforce Health and Wellbeing Project is
facilitated by RSSB.If you have any questions about
this resource, please contact whwp@rssb.co.uk