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Rehabilitation and Return to Work e-bulletin

Genuine care and understanding

Best practice

Rehabilitation and return to work coordinators (RRTWCs) should encourage employers or line supervisors to make early, direct contact with an injured worker to check in on how they are going.

Why this is important

Workers who feel supported by their workplace and are contacted soon after a work-related injury are up to five times more likely to return to work[1].

Your toolkit

These strategies and resources may help you achieve best practice.

  • Ask the worker if they are comfortable with their employer or supervisor contacting them, what time would suit, and what method of contact they prefer.
  • Explain to the employer/supervisor that the initial contact is a time to have a caring and meaningful conversation about how the worker is coping and feeling. It’s not the time to ask questions about when the injured worker may return to work.
  • If the worker prefers to have regular communication with their employer/supervisor, suggest these are scheduled at a consistent time (e.g. call every Monday at 9am).
  • Explain to the employer/supervisor the benefits of having an informal chat and checking in at the beginning of each communication so the worker knows they are supported and listened to (e.g. if you are calling to discuss return to work, ensure there is enough time to check in on the worker’s wellbeing first).
  • To help put the injured worker at ease when they are contacted, suggest to the employer/supervisor that they let the worker know at the beginning of the call they’re simply calling to check in and see how the worker is going.
  • Refer the employer/supervisor to Beyond Blue’s articles on When to talk vs when to listen and How to check in with someone.
  • Check out the National Return to Work Strategy 2020-2030 for detailed insight into why employer/supervisor support is so important.

[1] Safe Work Australia, 2019, ‘National return to work strategy 2020-2030’ p.14

 

Further information

For more information, visit our website, call 1300 362 128 or enquire online.

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