Managing sickness absence: Tools HR professionals rely on

by Hannah Mason, Brightmine HR data insights analyst

Return-to-work meetings are central to absence management, but they’re not the only tool employers rely on. Drawing on insights from HR professionals at the Brightmine sick pay and absence webinar, we explore the practical tools organisations use to manage absence effectively, and why both consistency and flexibility matter.

Brightmine hosted a webinar on sick pay and absence management, which focused on the changes to statutory sick pay under the Employment Rights Act 2025 and practical ways to manage absence. This piece draws on insights shared by HR professionals during the webinar to explore the tools organisations use to manage absence effectively.

Return-to-work meetings

Return-to-work meetings are a recognised absence management tool. Around half (52.3%) of HR professionals attending the webinar said their organisation always conducts return-to-work meetings following each absence, 43.4% said they sometimes do, and just 4.3% said they never use them. This suggests that for many organisations, return-to-work meetings are central to absence management.

The return-to-work interview can promote open communication and help line managers support employees returning to work following an absence. There are a number of benefits to conducting return-to-work meetings after both short- and long-term absences to ensure support is given where needed:

Benefits of conducting return-to-work meetings

Making return-to-work meetings standard practice can also help ensure that absence management policies are applied consistently and fairly. This was highlighted in research conducted by the Department for Work & Pensions, which found that employees with more negative experiences of returning to work tended to be in organisations where absence policies were applied inconsistently. This inconsistency was noted as creating confusion and uncertainty for those returning to work.

Return-to-work meetings are not the only tool organisations use to manage absence effectively, and webinar attendees also described others that they use.

Informal conversations and wellbeing programmes

A number of organisations use more informal methods to discuss absence and wellbeing, alongside formal return-to-work meetings. Several HR professionals cited one-to-ones between line managers and their directs as a useful tool to help be proactive in supporting wellbeing and managing absence. One HR professional shared that “regular chats and one-to-ones provide a safe space for frank discussions and improve employee engagement”. Having regular, open communication can help to build trust, identify issues early and support employees’ health and wellbeing to assist with avoiding preventable absence.

Other tools described by attendees included wellbeing events such as “tea and talk” sessions, and having mental health champions, who can provide a safe space for employees to discuss wellbeing outside of their immediate team. While these tools may not be tied to a particular absence incident, they can form part of an overall wellbeing approach which, if done effectively, can help minimise avoidable sickness absence by addressing issues before they escalate into repeat absence.

Finally, occupational health was also cited by a number of HR professionals as a key tool in supporting employee wellbeing. An occupational health report can equip employers with the guidance needed to put the right adjustments in place, ensuring employees get the support they need to do their job effectively.

Trigger points

Trigger points are widely used in absence management because they provide a clear, consistent and timely way to identify potential attendance issues, rather than relying on individual judgment or line manager discretion. Brightmine last surveyed absence triggers in 2024 and found that the majority of organisations set trigger points, highlighting how widely used they are as an absence management tool. This was echoed by the webinar audience, with many describing trigger points as a key tool in their approach.

One HR professional shared that their organisation takes a more flexible approach, adjusting trigger points for employees who have been referred to occupational health in relation to a disability. This flexibility can help avoid discrimination, as there may be a risk of a claim for discrimination if a disciplinary procedure is commenced as a result of an employee reaching a trigger point due to absence for these reasons.

There are a variety of ways to set absence triggers, with a number of organisations combining an approach around incidents and days of absence:

Most common absence trigger measures

Available in the HR & Compliance Centre, our 2026 Brightmine absence rates and management research provides the latest data on absence rates, their underlying drivers, and how employers are navigating absence management and statutory sick pay reform. The HR & Compliance Centre also features a guide to help you set absence triggers and targets, outlining the variety of ways you can determine a trigger point and considerations that should be made.