A one-page script for Australian SMB managers. Seven steps, sample questions you can use word-for-word, and three illustrative SMB examples. Aligned to Fair Work Ombudsman guidance and the National Employment Standards 10-day entitlement.
Run them in order. The whole conversation should take 5–10 minutes.
“Welcome back. Got 10 minutes now, or straight after standup?”
Conversations slip when they’re not booked. Same-day catches the context while it’s still fresh — and signals that the conversation matters.
“How are you doing now you’re back? No need to share details if you’d rather not.”
People share more when the meeting doesn’t feel disciplinary. Care first; pattern-spotting later. Tone in the first 30 seconds sets the whole conversation.
“Are you back at 100%, or are there things we should be mindful of this week?”
Protects them and the team. A week of light duties is much easier to arrange than another absence — and it surfaces injuries people would otherwise mask.
“Is there anything about the role, hours or environment that contributed?”
The pattern is the early-warning signal. Two recurring Mondays in a quarter is data, not coincidence. Ask once, don’t push — the answer comes either now or next time.
“What’s one thing we could do this week to make coming back easier?”
Small adjustments now prevent the bigger absence later. Hours, duties, environment — keep it specific and time-boxed (“this week” or “for the next fortnight”).
“Let’s check in again Friday — quick five minutes, same time?”
A booked follow-up roughly halves the chance of a repeat absence in the same quarter. Put it in the calendar before they leave the room — don’t leave it as an intention.
Log the absence, the RTW outcome and any flags. Keep sensitive notes out of public exports.
Privacy Act 1988 alignment and a clean audit trail if it ever matters — Fair Work review, dispute, or board report. Sensitive flags (mental health, bereavement, harassment) should be masked from non-admin views.
28 people
12 people
18 people
This script is consistent with Fair Work Ombudsman guidance on personal/carer’s leave under the Fair Work Act 2009 (ss. 96–103) and the National Employment Standards 10-day entitlement for full-time employees, pro-rated for part-time and current-year hires. It is general managerial guidance, not legal advice. For complex situations — suspected workers’ compensation, repeated long-term absence, or disability accommodations — consult Fair Work, SafeWork in your state, or a qualified employment lawyer.
Statistics cited above (~30% reduction in repeat absences after structured RTW interviews) reference research from Safe Work Australia and the Direct Health Solutions Absence Management Survey 2023. Point estimates vary by sector.
Single-page PDF. Print it, tape it to your desk, share it with your team leaders.
