Return to Work program by Legal & General

A well-designed Return to Work (RTW) program will help employees who have been absent from work due to illness, injury or disability to successfully reintegrate within the workforce.

In many markets this can be a legal requirement and RTW programs can be an essential part of a holistic approach to managing employee health and wellbeing and creating a supportive and inclusive work environment.

In our experience, working closely with key stakeholders (employee, employer and clinical specialist) creates synchronized processes which not only lead to improved health and morale for the employee, but also increased productivity with reduced costs for the employer.

Legal & General, our UK group insurance partner, offers help and support for employees and employers if illness or injury strikes.

Their Virtual Clinic gives employees free access to a Virtual GP service, online physiotherapy and mental health support for both adults and children.

HR and line managers will have access to the Be Well helpline where they can get advice and information on topics such as Return to Work support for employees on reduced hours; workplace adjustments, ergonomic and risk assessments plus access to the extensive resources provided by the Employee Assistance Program engagement platform.

When a claim is made, an in-house clinical team will assess the absent employee and tailor treatment to the employee’s specific needs without the need for a GP referral. Treatment intervention is facilitated and funded by Legal & General and delivered through their third-party expert clinical partners. Legal & General will work with each employee every step of the way to help them to get better and return to work when they’re ready.

Once an employee returns to work, they will be able to access a 12-month online relapse prevention service to help manage their wellbeing.

In 2021, their active intervention approach saw an average of 73% of employees return to work before the end of their deferred period and 87% return to work within the first year of absence.

Chris Ford, Director of Sales Development, states: “At Legal & General, our philosophy is founded on proactive early and appropriate interventions, ensuring employees are supported quickly and safely returned to the workplace as soon as practical. Our teams are committed to outcomes that take the stress away from long term sick or injured employees when they’re going through tough times in their lives.”

To find out more please see here https://www.legalandgeneral.com/employer/ or contact Tim Vandecasteele, Regional Director UK and Ireland at Allianz Global Benefits at tim.vandecasteele@allianz.com or Chris Ford, Director of Sales Development at Legal & General at chris.ford@landg.com.

AGB Network Health & Wellbeing Highlights