Serco Group, the international service company that employs experts as diverse as custodial workers and test pilots, has saved over £1 million by implementing an innovative absence management strategy. Central to this strategy is a unique online system which enables a large workforce across 200+ sites to be proactively managed from day one of absence through coordination of all absence stake holders, including income protection insurer, rehabilitation services and occupational health.
This make it possible for management, HR staff and individual line managers to have a real-time view of absent employees across the entire company and allows engagement consistent with the group-wide philosophy, where the absence is understood and the relevant parties actively help the employee.
As part of its ongoing consultancy work, Jelf Employee Benefits recommended using a bespoke technology system developed by Medicals Direct which was particularly effective at dealing with off-site workers, shift workers and more junior staff, where absence was proving to be particularly difficult to track.
Early buy-in from all has been vital to ensuring the practical application of the overhaul of Serco’s absence management strategy, with the stakeholder activity regularly monitored by Jelf.
Serco employees benefit from maximum assistance with early access to practical rehabilitation support and in the event the absence is longer-term the income protection benefit commences timely. The process starts as soon as absence is notified with all employees assessed and rehab treatment advised, this includes if and how any treatment is referred to the healthcare scheme.
Communication
As well as Jelf Employee Benefits and Medicals Direct providing dedicated support teams to Serco, Jelf Employee Benefits has supported the organisation in providing line manager training and a range of communication information to engage with as many members of staff as possible. This includes forums, workshops, policy handbook, intranet and internal magazine
Chris Ford, director of group risk at Jelf Employee Benefits said: “The beauty of the process is that all employees receive consistent and proactive support, where the emphasis is on the individual and return-to-work solutions, which has significantly reduced the duration of absences and in turn the cost of absence”.
Savings
Through this process, savings in excess of £1million were saved by Serco last year through significant reductions in the number of days lost due to employee absence, together with savings in administration, medical costs and access to rehabilitation case-management.
Ashleigh Witcher, senior benefits administrator at Serco Group, says: “By understanding our business and the range of services that we deliver, Jelf Employee Benefits has been able to fully integrate the income protection product with all our other benefits, and providers. Through a bespoke system we are able to centrally capture all activity across multiple operating sites. This provides the employee and line manager with maximum support from the vital early stages of absence.”
