Former John Lewis Chairman, Sir Charlie Mayfield, who chaired the Keep Britain Working Review, was quoted as saying: “‘I hate my boss’ is not a health condition”. His point is that a supportive workplace is important, but so is personal responsibility. In light of these comments, in this week’s blog we explore the fine line HR must tread between providing a caring workplace and acknowledging personal accountability.

The evolution of workplace support

Over the past decade, we’ve seen a dramatic shift in what ‘support’ at work looks like. HR teams now champion mental health, menopause, neurodiversity and flexible working more actively than ever before. Many businesses have formal wellbeing policies and provide access to EAP services.

However, might there not be a risk that all of these different accommodations may, themselves, be becoming overwhelming for the employer – leaving them in fear of taking any action at all? Managers need to feel that they are still able to act when an employee is not performing at work or is absent due to ill health without fear of being criticised as unsupportive.

The risk of over-accommodation

Employers are in a difficult position when employees are not performing or absent from work, and the reason is thought to be rooted in a health condition or personal issue. There can be a danger of ‘over-accommodation’: where performance dips or patterns of absence are left unchallenged because of fear of appearing insensitive.

The Keep Britain Working Review, whilst having a significantly wider remit, touches on this. Its final report notes that fear pervades the landscape where ill health or personal issues at work may sit behind absence or a drop in performance. That fear cuts both ways: employees fear disclosing health conditions, and are worried about stigma, discrimination, or damage to career prospects. Employers fear doing the wrong thing and that raising health issues might cause offence, trigger grievances, or escalate into a tribunal.

From an employer’s perspective it is important that these issues are not over-accommodated due to fear of what might happen if they are tackled. The outcome if they are, is stark: the Keep Britain Working Review notes that the annual cost to employers of poor workplace health is around £85 billion.

HR’s role in drawing the line

HR must take the lead here and empower managers to have difficult conversations where necessary. Here are some tips:

  • Have a clear and simple structure in place for monitoring absence, including return-to-work interviews.
  • If the issue is ill-health or absence, obtain a medical report focused on the employee’s job role. Make sure you ask the right questions – you need to get everything you need to fulfil the ‘supportive workplace’ side of the bargain.
  • Empower managers to stay in contact with employees who are absent from work. Ongoing absence is often rooted in poor communication. The Keep Britain Working Review notes that employees off sick for months reported little or no contact with their employer. The review concluded that this was not because employers or line managers were uninterested or uncaring. Instead, it reflected risk aversion.
  • If a pattern of absence is noted, make sure that managers diarise regular follow-ups with the employee once they are back in work to make sure that they are still getting the support they need.
  • If interpersonal issues arise at work, act quickly and decisively. Poor workplace relations can often be at the root of absence from work. If they are nipped in the bud before they can escalate – utilising mediation if appropriate – then employees will be all the happier for it.
  • Train managers on how to have difficult conversations with employees about health concerns.
  • Encourage openness in the workplace through wellbeing initiatives and consider a role for wellbeing champions. Explain to employees that they are ‘partners’ with the business in creating a supportive and open workplace – there is place for ‘personal responsibility’ at work.

When to shift focus to personal responsibility

There comes a point where the question becomes: have we done all we reasonably can? When reasonable adjustments, flexible options and wellbeing support are all in play – but the issues remain – it’s legitimate to reframe the conversation around personal responsibility and job expectations.

Potential tipping points include:

  • When support has been provided but concerns persist.
  • When medical advice confirms full fitness to work or where all suggested and reasonable adjustments have been made.
  • When patterns of behaviour don’t align with reported difficulties.

Employers can often be so caught up in their various initiatives and support packages that it can be hard to break free from that and acknowledge that they have a genuine issue with an employee, one which a ‘supportive workplace’ has not been able to resolve. The next step might be performance management; it might be disciplinary or capability proceedings. Whatever it is, when the tipping point is reached, it should be taken.

Key takeaway

‘Supportive’ shouldn’t mean conflict-avoidant. And ‘responsible’ doesn’t mean uncaring. As Sir Charlie Mayfield says “Life is full of setbacks – it is just life and happens to us all and we have a responsibility to work through them”.

HR’s challenge is to help leaders walk that line – creating cultures where people are helped and supported through setbacks, and, where necessary, held to account.