Staff Matters - Line Manager Supplement (November 2025)

Hello team,

Here we are at the very end of November and as we roll into the colder months we wanted to share some updates with you. Some include your day to day management and leadership of staff whilst others are more specific to the winter season. Please do set aside some time to read this and the all staff edition.

Return to Work

It has now been a couple of months since we rolled out our updated Managing Absence policy and the way in which we monitor absence. Thank you to everyone who has taken on board the new changes. Something that we have noticed since we started the new system is a huge difference in how managers are completing the return to work section of the system. This part of the process is a really important step in ensuring that we are looking after our team well. It is a chance to make sure that people are fit to be back in work and to check if there is any further support that they may need upon their return. It is really important that you capture what has been discussed in this return to work interview, particularly if the absence was long term or is linked to mental health in some way. We have provided lots of guidance on how to do this well so please do take a look at this article and watch this video.

Annual Leave Allowances

The annual leave allowance for 25/26 is now available for people to book. Please do chat to your team about making sure that they take the rest they need and use their leave to support this.

As line managers, please can you also remind your team members to book off bank holidays and the Christmas closure (25th-31st December), for their working days. If someone in your team is wanting to work on a non-Christmas bank holiday or one Christmas closure days, they need to speak with you first and confirm what work will be done (this work should not need IT / National team support and not be visiting families) Pages 11 and 12 of the Staff Handbook give you some more information on this.

Winter Working

Winter can sometimes be a tricky time for people. It's colder, the days are shorter and often people pick up bugs more often. Please do be checking in with those in your team to ensure that we are supporting them well during this season. Here are some suggestions of ways you can do that and some questions you may find helpful to ask in your one to ones.

• Are they working in enough light and getting enough exercise or movement through the day? This is really important to check in on and these small differences can have a big impact. Perhaps suggest getting out in the middle of their day for a short walk, or sitting by a window.
• Are they taking enough breaks? Suggesting taking short micro breaks throughout the day (especially working from home) can help prevent burnout or feeling sluggish.
• Some team members may benefit from more opportunities to connect as this helps prevent feeling isolated. This could look like a quick check in to see how their day is going.
• Are they making space to do what they enjoy? This can help boost productivity and mood.  
• Remember that Christmas can be a joyful time but it can also be a tricky time to navigate for some people too. Please do check in with your team to make sure that they are supported well during the Christmas period.

Thanks so much for reading this, please do be sure to have a read through the all staff edition which will go out tomorrow.