This workflow recipe will provide the steps to create and configure a workflow for a simple Return To Work process, within this process the workflow will send the Return To Work form to the employee's manager to fill in and then pass that onto the actual employee for completion.

If you're interested in creating your own Return To Work workflow this recipe can provide a bit of a head start in regards to the workflow configuration, how to set up various workflow step types as well as how to set up your step triggers so that tasks are assigned at the correct time intervals.

To begin following this guide you'll first need to navigate into Administration -> HR -> Workflows and click Add.

The Workflow

Workflow Name: Return To Work.

Category: Continuous.

Type: Time off duration.

Only Trigger Once Per Day? No

Duration: 0 | 365 | Unauthorised (or any time off types you'd like to require a Return To Work).

Period: 12 | Months.

Activation Date: Todays date. (this is to avoid the workflow triggering against historic time off instances.

Trigger against employees in probation? Yes - including those out of probation.

All comments visible: No.

Restrictions: Any that you desire.

Length of service (years): Blank.

Only manager roles? No.

Active: Active.

Once you've submitted this page you should be redirected to the Workflow steps page, this workflow is nice and simple so we won't have to do much work here, to start just click Add Step.

Workflow Steps

Step 1

Name: Employee's Manager to fill in Return To Work form.

Description: Add as required.

Type: Send new form.

Form: Return To Work Form (Other)

Recipient(s): Employee's Manager

Message Subject: Please complete and sign [employee_name]'s RTW.

Message Content:

Hi [current_manager_first_name],

 

Please complete the RTW form for [employee_name]'s recent sickness absence.

 

Thanks,

 

HR.

(The message and subject above are just generic examples of what could be used, it's entirely up to you what is entered in these fields though).

Sensitive Message: Unticked.

Send message as plain text: Unticked.

Custom button link: Blank.

Custom button text: Blank.

Workflow step order: 1.

When should this happen?: 0 days after submission date.

Escalation Actions: Just one escalation action:

• 2 | Days | Send Reminder

The workflow step should now look like so:

Step 2

Name: Employee to fill in Return To Work form.

Description: Add as required.

Type: Send existing form.

Form in step: step 1: Employee to fill in Return To Work form.

Recipient(s): Employee.

Message Subject: Please fill in RTW form for your recent sickness.

Message Content:

Hi [employee_name],

 

Please complete your Return To Work form for your recent sickness absence.

 

Thanks,

HR.

(The message and subject above are just generic examples of what could be used, it's entirely up to you what is entered in these fields though).

Sensitive Message: Unticked.

Send message as plain text: Unticked.

Custom button link: Blank.

Custom button text: Blank.

Workflow step order: 1.

When should this happen?: 0 days after Last Workflow Action.

Escalation Actions: Just one escalation action:

• 2 | Days | Send Reminder

The workflow step should now look like so:

Once the workflow is set active it will begin working, it will automatically trigger against any new applicable time off instances with both start and end date (without an end date a time off instance's duration is 0 or NULL so it won't trigger a workflow). 

 

This is a simple recipe for a Return To Work workflow which can be used in full or just used as the foundation of your own workflow, if you'd like to use this as a guide and then add in your own steps and tweaks it's a good way to give you a head start and get the basics complete before building up your full process.