Sickness management refers to the process of managing sickness absences as they occur in the workplace.
Sickness absences should always be logged, along with a reason for the absence. By doing so, recurring absences can be quickly identified and proactive steps can be taken to offer additional support to the employee.
A clear absence management policy should also be in place as part of managing sickness. This will detail who an employee should inform if they are sick, the statutory sick pay they are entitled to, and what happens if they are sick for a longer period of time.
Sickness management also means people managers regularly checking in with an absent employee. It may be that reasonable adjustments can be made by the employer to facilitate the employee's return to work, or their working environment or schedule going forward if they have a recurring health issue.