We're not concerned with an employee's medical problem. That's a private issue. But we will ask the employee what he or she can do within their capabilities. The company strives to recognize an employee's limitations and do what it can to accommodate his or her needs. To implement the program effectively, the bank uses an internal on-line absence management system.
Managers use the system to report absences and track time off.
After a six-day absence, CIBC's health services department calls both the manager and the employee to determine when and if a meeting should take place. The partnership we have with our providers is integral to the program's success. Educating the bank's 35,000 employees was also a key consideration in rolling out the new program. The company created a full-blown communications package brimming with brochures and videos to explain the program to managers, employees and healthcare providers. Results so far reveal that the program has improved employee satisfaction with the bank's disability practices.