Early intervention
Planning a worker’s return to work as soon as possible after an injury is called ‘early intervention’.
If support is provided to a worker immediately in the right way, they are more likely to recover quickly and be able to get back to work safely. Employers don’t have to wait until the outcome of a claim is finalised.
What’s involved?
The most effective early intervention strategies for supporting a worker to get back to work include making contact quickly, personalising all communication, and ensuring a worker has access to all the information they need.
How should an employer make contact?
Talking with a worker in person or on the phone is the most helpful way to make early contact. This means a conversation can be had and both an employer and a worker can ask questions if needed. If this isn’t possible, an employer can also contact a worker in writing, by email or regular mail.
It’s important that an employer uses the right language and that their approach is genuine and shows care and concern, so a worker feels supported.
An employer should respect a worker’s preferences for when, how often and by what means they communicate.
How does an employer do that?
There are simple ways to make sure early contact is positive for both workers and employers. Some of these are for an employer to:
- show genuine concern for a worker’s health and wellbeing and display empathy for their situation
- try to understand how the injury is affecting a worker in different ways (physically, psychologically and socially)
- measure how the injury is affecting a worker emotionally (mood, fears, frustrations, etc.)
- help a worker to feel confident they have support in the workplace and make sure they know who to contact and how
- help a worker focus on next steps and moving forward.
What else does a worker need?
As well as making contact early, it’s helpful to make sure a worker has access to any information they might need about getting back to work.
Employers can put together an information pack for workers, to help reduce confusion and let them know what their rights and responsibilities are.
It could include:
- an introduction to the person who’ll be looking after a worker’s return, including their contact details
- a list of who is involved in a worker’s return to work, what their role is and what they will do
- how communication is going to work throughout the process
- any forms or information a worker might need to access leave entitlements, if appropriate.