Sick Workers Should Phone Their Boss, Not Just Text, Says Back-to-Work Adviser

Workers who call in sick should speak to their employer by phone rather than relying solely on text messages or email, according to the government's back-to-work adviser, Sir Charlie Mayfield.

Mayfield said that when sick employees communicate only through text or email, they tend to become more disengaged from their workplace, which in turn makes them less likely to return to work compared with those who maintain direct verbal contact with their employer during periods of illness.

The remarks touch on a wider debate about how communication methods during sickness absence affect long-term employment outcomes. Advocates of more direct contact argue that a phone conversation allows for a more meaningful check-in on an employee's wellbeing and can help identify support needs earlier than a brief written message might.

Mayfield's role as a back-to-work adviser involves examining ways to reduce long-term sickness absence and economic inactivity, an issue that has drawn increased policy attention amid concerns about the number of working-age people out of employment due to health conditions.

The comments did not specify whether the recommendation would be accompanied by formal guidance for employers, or whether it reflects a broader forthcoming report on sickness absence policy.