Rachel Allison's newest comments

Thank you all for your comments.

We do have a policy of return to work interviews with a standardised check sheet. Managers are encouraged to complete training on our absence procedures, and this training is now also available to all staff as a 40 minute e-learning session.

In acknowledgement that stress can have many sources we have an Employee Support Helpline which is a 24/7 free and confidential service offering guidance and information on finance, stress management, consumer, legal and family issues.

There is a policy of allowing all staff to request flexible working which must be reasonably considered. However there are still many senior managers who do not see the benefits and insist all staff are in the office 9 – 5, but I believe this attitude is beginning to change.

We are a large organisation and work needs to be done to ensure everyone is aware of the support available, and the duties many have as managers, but it appears we are at least trying to move in the right direction.

I agree that it is better to create incentives for good behaviour, but at what point are is it just rewarding someone for something he or she should be doing anyway? And how does it affect their colleagues? –
• I have agreed to work my contracted hours unless I am unable to do so, my employer should not have to offer an incentive to get me to adhere to the terms of my contract (as long as they are fulfilling their responsibilities as employers).
• If someone is sick they might be encouraged to come to work (at detriment to themselves or colleagues) just so they do not miss out on the bonus.
• Those who have positions where they can work from home are likely to have a better attendance record (see James’ comment above) than those who cannot, the majority of whom are in the lower paid positions (cleaners, security guards, street cleaners, receptionists etc) and through the nature of their work may be more susceptible to illness such as the flu.

However – I do not object to some opportunities been available only to those who have a good attendance record if each case can be assessed objectively (I hope I am not been contradictory).
And over the past few years I have received a letter from the head of the department acknowledging and thanking me for my good attendance level. Although I think you would struggle to find anyone who received such a letter referring to it as a ‘bonus’.

Thank you all again, here’s to a lovely weekend - without any sickness ;-)

Some of my colleagues and I have been set a group “challenge” to produce a report that will make suggestions on ways to reduce sickness absence.
We have varying levels of people management experience but are not specialists in this area.

Most of the background information we require is readily available and I am sure we will find recommendations for
• Improving the way Display Screen Equipment is used (reduction of fatigue, headaches, RSI etc.)
• Flexible working
• Reduction of bullying and harassment.
• Return to work interviews

So I was hoping that you may be able to share any data you have on the above, but also do you have any novel ideas? Have you seen organisations implement a new policy that has reduced their sickness absence levels?

(We have seen the dramatic improvements in sickness absence levels when partner organisations have changed their policies so that the first 2 days off is unpaid; however this is extremely unlikely to be implemented in our organisation)

Any advice, suggestions and information that you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

Rachel

As an energy saving exercise we are looking at using 7 day timers on our drinking water dispensers. The cold water dispenser is not a concern. However the hot water boiler has a 5 litre tank, the water in which would drop to below 60 degrees Celsius overnight and at weekends.
The dispensers would turn on before the building opened to ensure that a safe temperature had been reached and maintained for as long as necessary.

Is there still a risk of legionnaires? Do the regulations/approved code of practise allow for this?

The HSE and Drinking Water Inspectorate have not been able to give me an answer.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me

6 weeks seems to be a long time for recovery. Maybe your employee has other conditions which will affect his recovery?
When I registered I was lead to believe that recovery would take up to 2 weeks.
As well as the National Blood Service you could also speak with the Anthony Nolan Trust

I suggest that you contact the food safety team of your local council, they are likely to run courses at a discounted rate for organisations such as yours, and may even be able to provide a general food safety & hand washing demonstration for the volunteers and the young people that you work with.

Although not an answer to your question of liability, may I make the following comments…

I also have work related upper limb disorder and switched to a graphics tablet. Much of the pain I was experiencing disappeared almost immediately.
However, the mouse was not the only cause, my typing technique and posture are major factors, and unfortunately not so easy to correct.
The Hand Therapy physiotherapists I visited were excellent and over the course of 6 months introduced me to exercises that would help stretch and strengthen my muscles, and I certainly notice it if I am not doing them.

The things that were stressed to me were:
Do not use wrist rests for keyboard and mouse
Be aware of my posture, and correct it.
No long periods of continuous use of keyboard/mouse (or other pointing device)
Also it was suggested that I angle my keyboard away from me which has greatly helped the positioning of hands when typing.

I try to limit my time at the keyboard – no more than 20 minutes before a break of a minute or two. I am teaching myself to touch type correctly, and use a lot more short-cut keys than I used to. Also I make a effort to put the pen down when I am not using it (although with the tablet and pen I have noticed the following bad habits have started to form – I sometimes have the pen in my hand while typing, and when I am frustrated/stressed/annoyed I grip the pen far too tightly).
And importantly I limit my personal use of the computer at home.
I will always have this condition, it is up to me to manage it and correct the things that I am doing wrong

The following website has a great deal of no nonsense advice http://eeshop.unl.edu/rsi.html which I found very helpful. It mentions what has been said previously about work not being the (sole) cause and warns against spending money when there may be other solutions such as correct workstation setup.

From a professional viewpoint I can see the sense in waiting for a formal recommendation, however as a sufferer I say give her the graphics tablet asap – it does not have to be a permanent arrangement.

The Working Time Regulations state that there should be a minimum rest period of 11 uninterrupted hours between each working day.

Does this apply to security guards?

If it does…
As the end user of the security service, what responsibility do we have to ensure that employees of the service provider are not required to work longer than 13 hours a day?

The shift in question is 7am to 8:30pm; the guard has breaks for lunch, as well as in the morning and the afternoon. These breaks are taken away from the reception but have to be in the building.
This is Monday to Friday; however the guard may not do all 5 days each week.

Thank you for any advice you are able to provide.