How to Use Early Intervention to Lower Long Term Absences in the Workplace

How to Use Early Intervention to Lower Long Term Absences in the Workplace
At some point in your
life, you may find yourself in need of time off to take care of a serious
illness or crisis in your life. While you can sometimes see these problems
coming your way, sometimes there is very little you can do to help prevent them
before the crisis occurs. Early intervention can not only help your employees
work through this challenging time in their life but also help reduce the long
term disability and absenteeism rates in the workplace! Here are four ways you
can use early intervention to reduce these rates in the workplace.
Ask for Help Before a Crisis Occurs
Don’t wait until you really need help to ask for it! Many times, you’ll find that if you ask for help before your crisis occurs, you are going to be better prepared when a crisis happens. Think of your body as a car. If you have never driven in the snow before, then when you start to slip and slide on the road, you will begin to panic. Instead, if you have the practice of driving in the snow and have prepared your vehicle with snow tires and other necessary preparations, you’ll be more prepared for your first trip out into the snow. If you prepare for the potential long term disability or absenteeism scenario in your workplace, then you will be ready to handle it when the time arises.
Find Resources and Tools Ahead of Time
Don’t wait until your first employee falls ill to start looking for ways to help them! If you have resources and tools ahead of time ready for them, you don’t have to waste time rushing around to find those resources for your employees. Have these available in your company’s HR department in case any of your employee’s wish to learn more information.
Create Good Habits to Help Become and Stay Healthy
Being both mentally and physically healthy doesn’t just happen overnight. It requires regular work and maintenance to keep your body working correctly. Think of your body like an automobile. You have to get oil changes and regularly inspect the car to make sure it’s running correctly. If you avoid warning signs of a problem or don’t do the regular maintenance, your vehicle will continue to run for a little while. However, if you ignore the maintenance after a few months, your car will slowly start working until you can’t even start the engine. It’s important to schedule regular mental and physical health check-ups and practice good healthy habits to ensure your “car” continues to run like it should.
Listen to Your Mind and Body
Intuition is a strong thing that can’t be explained well. The reality is that for most of us, this little voice in the back of our head telling us to do something, or your gut feeling can sometimes be right! Listen to what your mind and body are trying to say to you, and don’t ignore the signs of a potential problem. Many illnesses can be treated before they become severe by merely listening to your body’s symptoms.
Early intervention is not only crucial for the company but the employees as well! If you follow these tips, you can not only be there for your employees during a difficult time in their life but also help them work through it and even reduce the long term disability and absenteeism rates in your workplace.