What is a return to work interview template
A return to work interview is a crucial discussion between a manager or HR professional and an employee after a period of absence. Its main purpose is to welcome the employee back, discuss the reasons for their absence, and confirm that they are fit to return to work. Conducting this interview properly is essential for ensuring a professional and legally compliant process. On this page, we provide a comprehensive guide as well as a free return to work interview template.
Why you need this return to work interview template
Professionalism
Having a structured return to work interview template ensures these conversations are consistent across different managers, departments, and workplace locations. Creating a consistent, professional experience for employees is vital for boosting employee morale because it fosters fairness and builds trust. The template also ensures that no questions are missed (or deliberately skipped) so that all areas are covered, and importantly, documented for future reference.
Sensitivity
A return to work interview template also provides you with the right framework to approach sensitive topics, such as the reasons for an employee’s absence and whether this issue may recur in the future.
Managing absence issues
In cases where an employee might be abusing the absence policy, a well-structured return to work interview can help reinforce that absences are being carefully monitored. The checklist within the template ensures that these conversations are professional, compliant, and transparent.
About this template
Our HR Policy team has designed this four-page Word document to assist in conducting your return to work interviews. The template provides a comprehensive list of questions to address during the meeting, including gathering essential information about the absence, determining if the absence triggers a warning, and assessing whether any special requirements are needed for the employee’s return to work. The template includes various fields, such as yes/no questions, checkboxes, and areas for written responses.
The template is easy to personalise—simply add your company letterhead and edit it to suit your business needs.
The return to work interview template contains:
- Employee information fields
- Details of the absence
- Reminders to follow the absence procedure
- Absence trigger points
- Healthcare-related questions, such as potential side effects and doctor recommendations
- Workplace factors contributing to the absence
- Reasonable adjustments that may be needed
Why you need to have a good return to work procedure
Returning to work after an absence can be intimidating for employees, particularly if they have been away for a long time and have much to catch up on. Beyond adjusting to the working day, they might have new healthcare concerns to address. Even after short absences, employees may return to changes in the team or business, a backlog of work, and missed events.
Holding a return to work interview (or a more informal catch-up) can help fill the employee in on any updates, as well as allow you to better understand the nature of their absence. You will also want to determine if any adjustments to their working environment are necessary to accommodate health issues, medical side effects, or caregiving responsibilities.
A return to work interview template means you can:
- Confirm that the employee is fit to return to work as usual
- Catch up with the employee and show genuine concern for their well-being
- Understand the reason behind their absence
- Determine if this reason for absence may recur, and if so, explore ways to support the employee in managing it
Looking for more absence support?
Check out our ultimate guide to absence here.
