In conversations about absence management, it comes up almost immediately: "We need to be careful with standardisation. Every case is different." That concern is understandable. Absence is about people, not processes. Nobody wants to be reduced to a form. Yet in practice, I see something different happening.
Where the fear comes from
Many professionals have had bad experiences with rigid protocols. With systems that leave little room for nuance or professional judgement. The reflex to distrust "process" is therefore logical. That resistance isn't an aversion to structure. It's a way of protecting craftsmanship.
What happens when structure is missing
Ironically, the absence of standardisation rarely leads to more humanity. Often the opposite happens. Without clear structure:
- intake differs from case to case
- information gets lost
- the same questions are asked multiple times
- unintended differences emerge between employees and files
The time that was meant for the real conversation disappears into repair work.
The reality for the occupational physician
Occupational physicians don't want a straitjacket. They want to be prepared. With the right information, at the right moment. What holds them back isn't structure, but noise:
- incomplete files
- inconsistent intake quality
- having to reconstruct context again and again
That costs energy. And energy spent there can't go to the person behind the file.
What standardisation can actually be
Standardisation never has to mean that everyone is treated the same. It's about standardising what is repeatable. For example:
- how information is collected
- when triage takes place
- which basic questions are always asked
What should never be standardised:
- medical judgement
- the conversation
- professional assessment
Structure should support, not dictate.
Why this is urgent
Pressure on the absence management chain is increasing. Caseloads are growing. Expectations are rising. Professionals are scarce. In such a system, working without structure isn't freedom, it's a risk. It makes quality vulnerable and dependent on individual resilience.
Humanity requires space
Real attention takes time. That space doesn't appear by itself. It emerges when professionals are relieved of unnecessary variation and administrative noise.
Humanity doesn't disappear because of standardisation. It disappears when skilled professionals are structurally overwhelmed.
Miranda Zwepink — CEO, Triagen
