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Return to Work

A Return to Work (RTW) conversation is a brief, structured check-in with an employee after they have been absent. It is one of the most effective tools for reducing repeat absences, catching early signs of workplace issues, and demonstrating that you care about your team's wellbeing.

StaffBrik automates the tracking and prompting of RTW conversations so nothing slips through the cracks - even during your busiest service periods.

When Is a Return to Work Triggered?​

An RTW checklist is automatically generated when an employee's absence meets or exceeds the RTW threshold. By default, this is set to 3 days, but you can configure it in StaffBrik Settings.

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The threshold is measured in calendar days, not working days. A Friday-to-Sunday absence counts as 3 days even if the employee was only scheduled to work on Friday.

Some operators choose to trigger RTW conversations for every absence regardless of duration. You can set the threshold to 1 day if you prefer this approach.

What the RTW Conversation Covers​

The RTW checklist guides you through the key points of a good return-to-work conversation:

  1. Welcome back - Acknowledge the absence and express that the employee was missed.
  2. Reason for absence - Confirm the reason (already recorded in the absence log) and check whether the employee feels well enough to return.
  3. Fit for work - Is the employee fully fit, or do they need any temporary adjustments? For example, a kitchen porter returning after a back injury might need to avoid heavy lifting for a week.
  4. GP or medical input - Has the employee seen a doctor? Is there a fit note? Are there any recommendations from their GP?
  5. Workplace factors - Was the absence related to anything at work? Stress, workload, a difficult customer interaction, issues with a colleague?
  6. Support needed - Is there anything you can do to help prevent a recurrence? Adjusted hours, a phased return, a change of duties?
  7. Absence record - Inform the employee of their current absence record (StaffBrik provides this automatically). If their Bradford Factor score is elevated, discuss the pattern without being punitive.

For a disability-related or approved medical absence, the guidance does not show the Bradford score or any pattern alerts, and the saved RTW summary never records them. Those absences do not count towards the Bradford Factor, so they have no place in the conversation.

tip

Keep RTW conversations supportive, not interrogative. A cafe team member who has been off with flu does not need a formal interview - a five-minute chat over a cup of tea is fine. The checklist ensures you cover the essentials without making it feel like a disciplinary process.

AI-Assisted RTW Guidance​

StaffBrik provides AI-generated guidance tailored to the specific absence. This might include:

  • Relevant employment law - e.g. reminding you that you cannot ask for a fit note for absences under 7 days.
  • Suggested adjustments - based on the absence category and duration, the AI may suggest reasonable adjustments to discuss.
  • Conversation prompts - helpful phrasing for sensitive topics, particularly around disability-related absences or mental health.
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The AI guidance is advisory only. It does not replace professional HR or legal advice. For complex situations - such as long-term sickness, disability adjustments, or performance management - consult your HR provider.

If the AI is unavailable, you can still complete the RTW: StaffBrik uses a standard template for the summary instead. Guidance made while the AI was unavailable is made again the next time you open it, unless you have edited it. If saving your edited guidance fails, a message says so.

Completing the RTW​

Once you have had the conversation:

  1. Navigate to StaffBrik > Absences and find the absence record.
  2. Open the Return to Work section.
  3. Work through the checklist, ticking off each item and adding notes where relevant.
  4. Click Mark as Complete.

The RTW record is saved against the absence and the employee's profile. This creates an audit trail that demonstrates you are managing absences consistently and fairly.

Pending RTW Tracking​

Uncompleted RTW conversations appear as dashboard alerts in StaffBrik. This ensures they are not forgotten - which can easily happen in a busy restaurant or bakery where managers are juggling service, deliveries, and staffing.

The dashboard shows:

  • Employee name and the absence dates.
  • How long - for example "5 day absence, still off" while they are still off, or "5 day absence ended 2 days ago" once they are back.
  • A direct link to complete the RTW checklist.

An absence that has not started yet, such as an operation booked for next month, is not flagged until its first day. Until then it shows no RTW needed, no Prepare RTW or Complete RTW options, and no dashboard alert.

On the Absences page, the Pending RTW tile lists only the absences waiting for a return-to-work conversation, with Show all to see everything again.

Staff who have left are not included. Once someone is archived, their outstanding RTWs drop off the alerts and the "RTW needed" list, because there is nobody to have the conversation with.

caution

Outstanding RTW conversations should be completed as soon as practically possible after the employee returns - ideally on their first shift back. The longer you leave it, the less useful the conversation becomes, and it weakens your position if absence management escalates to a formal process later.

Overdue Reminders​

An RTW falls due three days after the absence ends. If it is still not complete after that, StaffBrik sends an in-app notification, for example "RTW overdue: Sam Patel", saying how many days overdue it is and when the absence ended. Its Complete RTW link opens the RTW checklist for that absence.

Reminders are spaced out so they stay useful rather than noisy:

  • The first one arrives on the RTW's first overdue day.
  • After that, at most one a week while the RTW is still open.
  • They stop once the absence ended more than 30 days ago, so an absence gets four reminders at most. The RTW stays on the dashboard and the Absences page until you complete it.

Completing the RTW, or deleting the absence, archives its reminders. Reminders are only sent for absences that need an RTW (standard sick, disability-related and approved medical absences at or above your RTW threshold), and never for staff who have been archived.

Why RTW Conversations Matter​

Research consistently shows that organisations that conduct return-to-work conversations see a measurable reduction in short-term absence rates. In hospitality, where margins are tight and every missing team member means someone else picks up the slack, this is time well invested.

A good RTW conversation:

  • Shows your team you notice and care when they are absent.
  • Catches early signs of burnout, workplace conflict, or health issues.
  • Creates a fair and consistent record if formal action becomes necessary.
  • Reduces repeat short-term absences by up to 30% (CIPD data).