System Maintenance/Monitoring | ReIntegrate

Reporting

Tilia Boussios — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:30:00 GMT

In the previous module, the need for a monitoring system of in relation to the return to work process was emphasized. This monitoring process should give rise to comprehensive and regular reports on the operational effectiveness of the return to work programme.

The aim of these reports is to support the development of the return to work system. It is used to assess its effectiveness, its successes, the problems that have been encountered and the solutions which is being developed to address these problems.

It has been stated in other modules that it is important for the return to work process to have accountability. This means that it should have a reporting relationship with, for example, senior management, human resource management and occupational health services. The reports that are to be produced therefore have multiple target groups.

The Contents of the Report

Each organisation will need to develop their own structure for reporting on the return to work system. However the list below indicates a potential content for reporting. If reports and the return to work system contain all of the information shown below, it is certain that there will be a high quality report produced and that the prospects for improving the return to work system will be enhanced.

An analysis of the causes of absence – this should include a consideration of all causes of absence, be they health related or otherwise. Information on health-related absence should be broken down into categories such as physical health mental health. Other breakdowns are possible, but whether these are useful will depend on the numbers of people were absent in the organization. Small organizations will find it difficult to obtain useful breakdown information given that there are likely to be small numbers of people involved.
A summary of events and activities associated with the return to work process – this section of the report is concerned with understanding if the sequence of events which took place in relation to return to work processes. It should detail the procedures that were followed, any problems which occurred, what solutions were in place and the nature of the interventions which were made.
Overall satisfaction with system – section of the report showed outline what the major stakeholders think of the return to work process. This included information obtained from the returnees and from supervisors, management and fellow staff where appropriate. In addition, the opinions of any professionals involved in the return to work process should be reported on here.
Effectiveness in terms of reduced incidence and length of absence – this section should report and analysis of changes in the incidents and length of absence over time. This will allow for an assessment of effectiveness to be made. Any major system changes should be noted so that the correct interpretation of changes in absenteeism rates can be interpreted.
Though it may be difficult to obtain information in this area, a cost-benefit analysis should be reported. This could include impacts on:
- Quality and company performance
- Health insurance and pension costs
- Productivity
- Absenteeism
- Replacement and overtime costs
- Employee relations
- Staff morale, motivation and commitment
- Customer satisfaction
The challenges encountered and the solutions generated – information on the problems and solutions is vital to managing the quality of the return to work process. This information is likely to be qualitative and perhaps idiosyncratic, but it will provide a genuine insight into how the return to work system is functioning.

The types of report format that should incorporate information about the performance of the return to work system include:

A section in the companies annual report
A more in-depth once a year briefing for board members
A regular three monthly HR communication on the operation of the system
A monthly technical report on the key impact indicators chosen to monitor the system

References

If you wish to read more about Reporting Procedures you can access the Related Bibliography link on the right side of the screen.

Continuous Improvement

Tilia Boussios — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Continuous improvement is a vital component of an effective return to work strategy. Programmes may not work in all circumstances as work environments change, work processes evolve and knowledge about the impact of health conditions on work capacity improve. A systematic approach to evaluating and adapting the return to work programme is at the core of sustainability.

It is essential to plan for the sustainability of the return to work system. This requires that it is continually updated and improved through feedback from the Absence Information Management System and via periodic systematic audits of the system.

Useful strategies for supporting the continuous improvement of the return to work system include:

Ensuring that the system is recognized and integrated in the wider organisational quality system - this is a useful way to keep a central focus on its development
Undertaking a formal evaluation of the system periodically (e.g. every three years)
Developing a continuous improvement plan

The continuous improvement plan should focus on the dimensions of good practice and return to work. These dimensions are:

Health Interventions: Accident Prevention and Safety Activities; Occupational Health Services; Workplace Health Promotion; Job Design and Work Organisation; Management Information Systems of injury; and illness and lost time patterns.
Disability Prevention: Support from worker representatives, management and company culture; Internal and External Communications; Incentive Design and Influences; and Knowledge and Skills of the Team.
The Return to Work Process: Early Intervention and Case Management Process; Transitional Work Programmes and Retraining; and Employment Maintenance.

Continuous improvement can be enhanced by inviting an external organisation to accredit the system. Such organizations exist in many countries, and links to them are available (for Ireland the appropriate organisation is REHAB

There is also an international arbitration system which is run by the International Disability Management Standards Council. It provides an accreditation based on a Code of Practice and Occupational Standards, which reflect globally recognised best practice and which has been benchmarked against the performance of best in class in a wide range of sectors.

References

If you wish to read more about Continuous Improvement Procedures, you can access the Related Bibliography link on the right side of the screen.

Monitoring

Tilia Boussios — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:29:00 GMT

An effective return to work programme must employ an efficient monitoring system. Absence information, successful reintegration strategies and profitability should be carefully monitored to provide information which can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their return to work policy and system.

The main aim of monitoring is to provide information on how well the return to work system is operating. In addition, the absence information system should gather information on the outcomes of return to work in individual cases.

The Absence Information System should be the primary mechanism for monitoring the operation of the return to work process within an organisation. This should record the following kinds of information:

Levels and types of absenteeism, that is short and long-term absenteeism, the numbers of absenteeism spells, causes of absenteeism [for example, health related, accident related, social related]
Types of interventions taken in response to absence – here all interventions should be recorded. For example, the timing and content of communications with the absentee and other related stakeholders, the nature of any workplace adaptations or assistive technology used, training and retraining provided, job redeployment used, benefits and incentives, and any other interventions that are relevant.
Outcomes of interventions - The success or otherwise of interventions should be recorded.
The costs and benefits of interventions –all costs associated with the absence and return to work process should be recorded. This includes losses of productivity due to the absence, and the cost of any interventions that are made.

There is also need for the organization to gather information on issues which are related to absenteeism, but not necessarily tied to individual cases of absence. Organisations should also gather information regarding lost time incidents, accidents, occupational health indicators, awareness of the return to work system, satisfaction with it and its perceived costs and benefits.

A schedule of information recording needs to be put in place. Ideally, information should be gathered prior to absence, during the absence period and after the employee returns to work. The organization also needs to gather in its absence management information system, information on related issues which may be relevant, for example incidents, Work accidents, and job satisfaction, and any other information which can have a bearing on the absence and return to work processes.

Here is a checklist of the information that should be held in the absence management information system:

Information on absence cases	General information
The length of absence Cause of absence Frequency of absence Communications made Interventions made Monitoring frequency Outcomes of interventions Costs of absence Costs of interventions Supports and incentives Satisfaction with interventions Suggestions for improvement	Occupational health statistics Occupational safety statistics Job satisfaction Awareness of the return to work system

It should be noted that a number of different information sources should be used as part of the monitoring system. These include:

Human resource management information
Occupational health and safety information
Reports from staff who have gone through the return to work system

Collecting information on the absence management information system is of little use if the message is not analyzed and reported on. It is vital that such data collection and analysis takes place on a meaningful schedule so that it can be used for reviewing the effectiveness of the overall return to work system.

References

If you wish to read more about Monitoring Procedures you can access the Related Bibliography link on the right side of the screen.