The importance of vocational rehabilitation services for SMEs

By Partner Content on Small Business UK – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

The wellbeing of your employees will play a crucial role in the success of your people and in turn, your business. Every business risks losing employees to long-term absences due to illness or injury, and so, being prepared and having access to support when needed is key.

On top of health issues, lengthy NHS waiting lists can mean accessing support to get people on the road to recovery isn’t always easy. But there are steps you can take to help strengthen and protect your business and people through your employee benefits offering.

Rebecca Selwyn, Propositions Lead (SME) Aviva Group Protection

At Aviva, our Group Income Protection policy offers a range of different support, over and above insurance. It provides financial support if an employee is unable to work due to illness or injury, paying a proportion of their salary to help them keep their income up whilst they manage their health – and help you afford to gap fill.

But more than this, it also offers access to early intervention and vocational rehabilitation services, helping employees improve their health, sometimes before long-term absence is needed.

Early intervention and rehabilitation services are non-contractual benefits that Aviva can change or withdraw at any time.

Read more about how the policy works and the benefits it could bring to your business here

If the benefits of vocational rehabilitation are new to you, here I explain more

These services can help employees overcome barriers, remain at work, or make a safe and sustainable return to work.

To put this into perspective, in 2024, 86 per cent of employees who received our rehab support successfully returned to or remained in work. We supported 2,658 employees, across hundreds of UK businesses large and small. Employees received support from Aviva’s own clinical experts, plus we made 840 referrals to rehabilitation partners for private treatment and support – all at no extra cost to the employer.

This included help for musculoskeletal conditions, chronic conditions such as cancer, helping neurodivergent employees thrive and supporting those struggling with their mental health. For employers with Group Income Protection in place, they simply made us aware of an employee’s situation, and we supported them in the best way possible. All support is tailored to the individual, helping the people these businesses rely on to get the right support at the right time.

Intervention will look different for every employee. It could involve:

• a referral to a clinical expert such as a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, or other expert
• signposting to services, organisations or charities who could support the employee
• identifying workplace adjustments to help the employee
• training line managers to show how they can manage or identify similar concerns
• supporting the employee and the business with return-to-work plans

But don’t just take our word for it, meet Brian, who after suffering a stroke, needed support.

Early intervention – key to helping prevent long-term sickness

Getting support early can be essential. Put simply, the longer someone is off work, the more difficult it could be for them to return. And if the absence goes on, there’s a greater chance that social and financial strains could make everything even worse.

Our Rehabilitation Manager Matt Smith comments: “Prolonged absence from work is known to lead to social isolation, financial stress, and a loss of routine, all of which negatively impact mental and physical health. It can also reduce self-esteem and motivation, making recovery and reintegration into the workplace more challenging. Accessing appropriate support as early as possible, can help reduce these risk factors and support a timely and sustainable return to work following absence.“

The impact of absence

The impact of having an employee off work long-term can be more significant for smaller businesses. If you must find, pay for and train someone to cover a position, it can be time consuming, costly and deeply disruptive.   

By addressing health issues early, we could help you prevent issues escalating into something more serious which might need extended time off work. It could be the difference between taking a few days or weeks off, to months – or even years. As well as helping to protect your business, a proactive approach can benefit your employee, help maintain productivity and morale within the team.

Income protection for startups, growing or established businesses:

57 per cent of employers surveyed agreed that employees expect these types of benefits. So, if you don’t yet have protection in place, it’s certainly something to consider. Not only for your employees, but also your business. Helping you support and afford to replace employees on long-term sick leave, but also attract and retain talent.

And it doesn’t need to be expensive. Policies can be flexed to help meet your needs or reduce costs whilst still protecting your most valuable asset – your employees.

Read more about how the policy works and the benefits it could bring to your business here

To get a quote, the policy is available through a financial adviser – they’ll explain more, help you understand costs or apply. If you don’t have a financial adviser, you can find one at www.unbiased.co.uk.

*Research carried out by Big Window on behalf of Aviva. May 2024. Interviews took place with 375 SMEs.

Read more

How to help employees return to work following mental illness – Returning to work after a period of mental illness is tough but as an employer, you can help. Unum’s Liz Walker explains more

Invisible illnesses: how you can help your employees – Sophie Ainsworth, founder of RAiISE, explains how employers can help staff with invisible illnesses to feel more supported in the workplace

How small businesses can support employees with long-term illnesses – Employers often feel out of their depth when confronted with employees with a long-term illness. Here, Christine Husbands discusses how to approach the situation

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