Substituting for sick employees is often overwhelming – and can paralyze teamwork.
At some point, there was no other way. After she had to repeatedly replace a colleague due to illness, she fell out herself. Sandra Becker (name changed) was at the end of her life.
She works in a clinic and there are colleagues in her team who are absent for up to 50 days a year. Depending on the statistics of some statutory health insurance companies, the average value is up to 20 days.
Sandra Becker points out that there is a domino effect on sick leave. They arise primarily from given structures. “If an employee calls in sick and is sick for a longer period of time, the daily tasks and secondary activities have to be rescheduled or performed by those who remain. This in turn leads to the others being overwhelmed. “
Companies have to take their duty of care seriously
According to Michael Kastner from the Institute for Industrial Psychology and Medicine (IAPAM), employees should inform their superiors about such undesirable developments.
Employers assume the duty of care by law and are responsible for staff maintenance. First and foremost, this includes making adequate demands on employees in their activities. He is also legally obliged to hold a company integration management meeting (BEM meeting). This comes into question if an employee reports incapacity for work for more than six weeks at a time or together.
What is behind a BEM conversation?
“A functioning company integration management system effectively helps to reduce sickness times,” says health manager and psychologist Carmen Tragelehn from Tüv Hessen. “Ideally, in the BEM discussion, solutions can be sought and found together.”
This could be, for example:
- When is it possible to return to work?
- Does the workplace still fit?
- Do you need an internal change or an adjustment?
It is important that managers keep an eye on their employees and offer support promptly.
Don’t let off frustration on sick colleagues
If a team is affected by individual absenteeism, it should avoid talking to the colleague about it on its own. If more and more frustration builds up, the team could choose a kind of class representative, as in school, suggests Kastner. “With him, the teammates can let go of their anger and frustration and instruct him to speak to the superior on behalf of the team.”
In some industries, the so-called danger or overload display is also a conceivable instrument: addressed to the executive and personnel level, as well as the works council or staff council.
A hazard notification sometimes protects employees from possible legal liability consequences that may arise from unintentional stress-related errors, explains Norbert Reuter from the Verdi service union. However, a collective agreement should regulate how to deal with it, otherwise it remains useless, according to Reuter.
Professional support for long absenteeism
Long or frequent absenteeism can often become a conflict for the person concerned. If the feeling is very stressful and you cannot confide in anyone in the direct work environment, Tragelehn advises looking for professional support or a self-help group.
Basically: “How much I, as a person affected, tell the team about my personal stresses or my diagnosis is entirely my decision.”
For managers and teammates, it is sometimes difficult to judge the trigger for a notification of illness. Occupational psychologist Kastner warns of stigmatization. Rather, one has to make it clear: “If you are really sick, then you are missing.”
This is particularly important to prevent presentationalism, i.e. to appear at work despite illness. It is just as important to speak into the conscience and to appeal to the sense of justice that is impermissibly lacking.
