The occupational health physician: a new generation

Be honest: when you think of an occupational health provider, what springs to mind? Perhaps something a little traditional and uninspiring. Doctors whose main role seems to be deciding whether an employee is genuinely unfit for work, before reaching for a standard return-to-work plan: three weeks at home, then one day a week back at work, and so on.

You might even picture a doctor who isn't much of a communicator – typing away with one finger, eyes fixed on the screen while your employee sits across the desk.

Waiting until someone goes off sick

That stereotype hasn't come from nowhere. Until around five years ago, occupational health was largely about reducing sickness absence. That's what many experienced physicians were trained to do, that's where they built their expertise, and that's how their performance was measured.

The result was a fairly rigid culture, with rules and procedures taking centre stage. Large occupational health providers would often wait until someone went off sick before getting involved, then take a fairly prescriptive approach to getting them back to work – without really involving the employer or employee in deciding what would work best.

Thankfully, things are changing. More and more employers recognise the importance of prevention and sustainable employability and are making these part of their agreements with occupational health providers.

But progress is still too slow and often doesn't go far enough. In many contracts between employers and occupational health providers, reducing sickness absence remains the primary KPI. But shouldn't we be talking about more than prevention? What about enjoying your work and finding it fulfilling? For millennials in particular, that matters. They want work that is meaningful and interesting – work that gives them energy rather than drains it.

Becoming part of the team

That calls for a new kind of occupational health physician. Someone enthusiastic, approachable and keen to get involved. Someone who joins conversations within the organisation and becomes a genuine part of the team rather than remaining at arm's length.

That makes it much easier for employees to get in touch before things escalate: “I've been dealing with a few things. I'm coping, but I'd like some advice on how best to handle them.”

It also gives the occupational health physician the opportunity to be proactive: “I've noticed that several people in your team seem to be under quite a lot of pressure. Should we be doing something about that?”

So what role does that leave for a more experienced physician? A hugely valuable one: as a coach and mentor. Experienced physicians can provide guidance precisely where younger colleagues may still lack knowledge and experience, particularly when it comes to legislation and regulations. It's a specialist area in its own right, and one where experience really counts.

The ideal combination is therefore a younger, energetic physician supported by an experienced coach.

Together, they can do much more than simply see employees in consultations. They can think creatively about what people and organisations actually need. They can address the elephant in the room rather than arranging session after session – and charging for them – when the real issue is a workplace conflict rather than a medical condition.

And they can focus on the things that make a real difference: purpose, fulfilment, structure and energy.

Because ultimately, people should enjoy their work. When they do, many of the other pieces tend to fall into place.