Transitioning your worker back to the workplace

Best practice

You understand the reasons your worker values work-life balance and flexibility, the pros and cons of working from home, and take a gradual and balanced approach to encouraging a return to workplace while considering their individual needs.

Why is this important

In recent years, you may have supported workers who have worked from home for extended periods due to COVID restrictions or from a work-related injury.

These workers may have created new routines and ways of working. They may enjoy working from home, the reduced time and money spent commuting, and the flexibility to balance work with lifestyle and family.

However, extended and/or exclusive work from home may also lead to feelings of isolation and social anxiety, or fear of re-injury or getting sick if they return to the office.

Your toolkit

• If your worker is hesitant to return to the office, have an open and honest conversation to understand their concerns and develop a plan for them to gradually return. This may include developing a flexible work arrangement to support ongoing flexibility that meets the needs of both the worker and business.
• Check out this best practice guidance on how to maintain a psychologically safe and productive environment for flexible workers.
• Use this interactive employer tool to find information and links to help you plan to reopen, scale up, manage working arrangements and keep up-to-date with workplace laws.
• If your injured worker needs extra supports to return to the office, consider involving an occupational rehabilitation provider, who can perform assessments and provide them with a variety of tools and resources to make returning to work easier and safer. Reach out to your insurer for more information.
• Watch the Medilaw Webinar on managing risk, recovery and return to work in our new hybrid environment which talks you through the key elements of flexible working and managing your workers' return to office.
• Download and read through the National Mental Health Commission’s paper on helping people return to workplaces after extended periods working at home during COVID-19.
• Read our e-bulletin about returning to work during COVID-19 and our information on workplace psychological health considerations during COVID-19.
• Let your workers know about these free, independent support services:
  • The Workers’ Psychological Support Service (for workers who have experienced a work-related psychological injury)
  • The Workers’ Compensation Information and Advisory Service for workers (providing expert information and advice for workers navigating the Queensland workers’ compensation scheme).