Recent research from Aviva Broker UK found that 87% of employers surveyed recognise a responsibility to help employees with health conditions stay in work, rather than waiting for long-term sickness absence.
But what does that support actually look like in practice?
Many organisations invest significantly in employee wellbeing benefits, from EAPs and virtual GPs to mental health support and other services. Yet when an employee wakes up feeling unwell and needs to report an absence, accessing those benefits might be the last thing on their mind.
And we can't necessarily expect line managers to remember every available service either. Particularly when they're taking an absence call at 7.30am whilst getting ready for work!
But what if the absence reporting process itself could help connect employees with the support available to them?
That's one of the things we're doing with AVA.
Our digital absence reporting line gives employees a consistent and confidential way to report unplanned absence via WhatsApp. As part of that process, AVA can signpost them to relevant NHS resources and employer-provided benefits.
It's a relatively simple change to the reporting process, but one that creates an opportunity to connect employees with support at the point they might need it most.
At the same time, AVA captures consistent, structured absence information, helping HR teams understand what's happening across their organisation, identify patterns and recognise where earlier intervention or additional support may be beneficial.
It's not about replacing the conversations between employees and their managers. It's about making sure the right information and support are available from the very beginning.
To see how AVA could work in your organisation, contact us for a demo at hello@theabsenceline.com.
Written by Jess Talbott, Client Engagement Assistant