The RNIB have launched a campaign encouraging businesses to support vocational rehabilitation and adopt proactive employment retention policies.
Their report entitled Vocational rehabilitation: The business case for retaining newly disabled staff revealed that keeping a newly disabled person in employment has a cost benefit of at least two-and-a-half times an employer's investment.
Consequently, the RNIB are encouraging businesses to sign the Employee Retention Charter, committing to early intervention measures that aid the retention of staff who become disabled or develop a disabling illness.
Employment retention holds several benefits for employers, including the retention of accumulated skills and experience, avoidance of redundancy pay-outs and avoidcance of the costs associated with termination of employment or subsequent recruitment.
Other intangible benefits include improved staff loyalty and morale, as well as greater workplace diversity.
Furthermore, an aging workforce and the removal of mandatory retirement mean employment retention is set to become an even more important issue in years to come, since disability is more prevalent with advancing age
For more information on the RNIB’s campaign, click here. http://www.rnib.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/employment/Pages/Vocational_rehab.aspx
PMI Health Group’s team of Specialist Occupational Physicians can assist your organisation in improving employee retention and dealing with sickness absence.