The 4 phases of return to work: A model for better support
Why think about returning to work from the start of sick leave ?
We often hear this kind but paradoxical phrase: "Take care of yourself, and above all, don't think about work." While the first piece of advice seems obvious and necessary, our psychologist questions the second:
"Is it possible not to think about an element of our life that has nourished us for some time, helped us grow as a person, and... also cost us?"
In work psychology, there are several models on returning to work. They all agree on one key point: the return-to-work process begins on the very first day of leave.
"During my years of clinical practice, I observed that my patients on sick leave due to burnout talked about returning to work from the very first consultation. Questions about when? how? where? the same job? something else? were ever-present," explains our psychologist, Stéphanie Delroisse.
This reality encourages us to reconsider the concept of "total rest": taking a step back, yes, but maintaining a connection to oneself and one’s professional future.
Introducing the 4-phase model
Based on her clinical experience and scientific knowledge, our psychologist has developed a 4-phase model that allows for a more detailed and personalized approach to supporting the return-to-work process. These phases may overlap, repeat, or last for varying lengths of time depending on the individual. Here are the different phases:
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Rest Phase
This phase involves the voluntary or advised withdrawal from the professional sphere. The objective is twofold:
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Distance oneself from the stressors (whether professional or personal) that contributed to the discomfort.
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Recognize the symptoms, make a diagnosis, and acknowledge the importance of this withdrawal.
"It is a phase of acceptance, but not a passive one: it initiates the recovery process."
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Recovery Phase
Here, the individuals actively engage in personal reconstruction. They seek to understand the causes of their exhaustion or illness, begin treatment, and test new tools to improve their well-being.
This is also a phase of experimentation: stress management, improving quality of life, rediscovering oneself outside the professional role.
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Reconstruction Phase
This phase marks the gradual return of the professional project into active thinking.
"The worker determines where, when, how, and under what conditions they think they will return to work," explains our psychologist.
It’s a pivotal moment: options are explored, dialogue with the employer may (re)start, training may be considered… In short, the professional future begins to take shape in a new way.
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Return Phase
The concrete return to work often takes place gradually: part-time medical work, adjustments to the job, psychological or medical follow-up.
But this phase does not mark the end of the process:
"The worker continues to assess their mental and physical state, job satisfaction, and adjusts their boundaries based on their priorities."
It’s a phase of consolidation, where the goal is to build a sustainable return.
Implications for employers and support professionals
This model has important practical implications for employers, HR professionals, colleagues, and all those involved in support:
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Do not reduce the return to work to a date on a medical certificate. It is a psychological and identity-related process.
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Encourage communication from the reconstruction phase on: provide reassuring contact points, offer a return-to-work visit, listen to the employee’s real needs.
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Support the return without rushing: provide temporary job adjustments, regularly assess progress, offer feedback.
By understanding that the return process begins well before the physical return to the job, we can co-create a more respectful, sustainable, and beneficial return for all.
Conclusion and food for thought :
The return to work after a long-term absence is not a simple restart. It is a gradual reconstruction of oneself in relation to work. Thinking about the return from the start gives us the tools to return differently, respecting ourselves, avoiding relapse, and building a professional future that is more aligned, taking into account necessary well-being at work.
"The return to work is a personal journey, but never a solitary one. As a psychologist, I firmly believe that a structured, supportive, and evolving framework allows individuals to go through these phases with more clarity and security."
To reflect on: what if we trained managers more on these 4 phases? And what if the professional world integrated this cyclical, rather than linear, vision of engagement at work?
