How do I find suitable duties for my worker after they've been injured?
Supporting your worker to get back to work after an injury or illness is an important part of their recovery.
It can help them to get better sooner, keeps them connected to the workplace and boosts morale.
Tasks your worker can do while they’re recovering are called ‘suitable duties’.
Here are our top three tips for finding suitable duties for a worker recovering from a mental injury.
Tip one: focus on what your worker can do, not what they can’t do.
By focusing on your worker and their strengths and abilities, you’ll help everyone stay positive.
Tip two is to be flexible
Being flexible with your worker as they recover helps them to build up their confidence.
This might look like offering reduced hours, modifying tasks, or providing a different workplace setting like remote work.
Tip three: prioritise open communication
Talk with your worker regularly and listen to their needs and concerns. This shows you care and helps with making any adjustments needed along the way.
Next up, how do you find duties that are the right fit for your worker and their injury?
You could start by asking your worker what work they think they could safely do as they recover, in line with their doctor’s advice.
This is a good way to collaborate and build trust.
You can also look at any restrictions on their work capacity certificate together, to help you decide.
Speak to WorkCover if you’re unsure.
We can share guidance from a worker’s doctor or specialist if it directly relates to helping a worker get back to work.
The next step is to identify duties for your worker, based on medical advice and what they can do.
Here’s some ideas to start:
- Talk to other business areas or look at different job descriptions in your workplace to find tasks outside of your worker’s usual role.
- Can you reduce the complexity, or pace of work?
- What technology or tools might help them with their work?
The next step is to have a clear return to work plan in place that outlines what work they’ll be doing, timelines and any support measures.
It’s important everyone agrees on the plan before starting.
This helps your worker know what to expect and shows them their recovery is taken seriously.
You’ll also know when things aren’t going as planned, so you can make adjustments.
There’s a lot of stigma attached to making a WorkCover claim. This can make it tough for workers when they do come back to work.
You can help by showing genuine support and understanding.
Foster a workplace culture where everyone feels valued, and where workers can speak freely about safety and wellbeing.
If you do notice your worker’s not coping well, and they have an accepted claim for a physical injury or illness, WorkCover can pay for sessions with a counsellor or psychologist to support their mental health during their recovery.
This can help prevent things becoming worse later on with their physical or mental health and provide tools to help them cope better.
You can find out more by searching for ‘Adjustment to injury counselling’ on our website, or by speaking to your claims contact.
You can find other mental health supports available to Queensland workers on our website.
If there’s something you’re not sure about, you can give us a call. We’re here to help.
If you need help in your language call 1800 512 451 and ask for an interpreter.
For more resources, visit our website or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Supporting your worker’s return to work after an injury is crucial for their recovery — and it can benefit your business too – but how do you go about it?
In this video, we share tips for finding the right duties for a worker recovering from a mental injury.
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