Far from being a mere individual formality, returning to work after a long-term illness transforms a company's entire ecosystem. An overview of an approach that needs to be prepared well in advance.
A long-term absence is never just about the person who is away. It also impacts the team, the manager, and the organization, and in an SME, it can quickly disrupt the entire balance. Yet, returning to work is still often viewed as a one-off event: the day the employee comes back, under the assumption that everything can simply "go back to the way it was."
Don't wait until day one
During a prolonged absence, tasks are redistributed, colleagues step in, and the organization adapts. Therefore, when the return approaches, a new balance must be prepared.
Indeed, coming back does not necessarily mean being able to immediately resume one's previous pace, workload, or responsibilities. A readjustment period may be necessary: a gradual return, temporary adaptations of certain tasks or working hours, or simply the time needed to regain one's bearings and confidence.
The goal? To move from a mindset of "returning to how things were" to that of a realistic and sustainable return.
Maintain contact without pushing
This preparation starts during the absence itself. Maintaining respectful contact with the employee makes it possible to preserve a human and professional connection, without ever asking them to justify their situation.
When the return becomes feasible, a discussion can then take place regarding the work: what will the priorities be? Should a gradual ramp-up be planned? Do certain tasks need temporary adjustments? What support will be useful?
"The adjustments put in place to support a return must be clearly defined from the start, but also regularly reassessed. The goal is to be able to adjust the framework based on how the situation evolves," explains Vera Vanhaastert, Return-to-Work Coordinator trained in disability management.
Managers and teams have a role to play too
The manager plays a central role, yet they are rarely prepared to support this type of situation. Their role is to listen, clarify expectations, adapt when necessary, and monitor the progress of the return.
The team must also be prepared. After several months of absence, roles and responsibilities have often evolved. It is therefore necessary to explain what changes in concrete terms, while strictly respecting the employee's privacy.
Making the return to work a matter of prevention
For an SME, anticipating does not mean setting up a complex procedure. A one-page roadmap can already make all the difference: identifying a point of contact, preparing managers, knowing the available external resources, and planning the different steps of the return. A sustainable return does not depend solely on the individual's willpower; it also depends on the environment they return to.
This is precisely one of the key messages promoted by the non-profit organization Baob, which supports individuals affected by illness or long-term absence in their bounce-back journey, as well as companies facing these realities. Because returning to work is not just an individual matter, it is also a human, managerial, and organizational challenge.
This vision will be at the heart of the Bounce Back Festival, organized by Baob on October 2 and 3 in Brussels: two days dedicated to discussing what comes next, resilience, and returning to professional life, bringing together the individuals concerned, experts, and companies.
"In an SME, every employee counts. The question is not just how to manage their return, but what we can put in place starting today so that it happens under the best possible conditions, for both the individual and the company," concludes Juliette Berguet, founder of Baob and the Bounce Back Festival.