Over 90 per cent of injured workers returned to work in 2021 according to Safe Work Australia’s biennial survey national return to work.
Releasing its 2021 National Return to Work Survey Report (NRTWS), Safe Work said the Survey measured outcomes of ill and injured workers receiving compensation to better understand their experiences and the factors that may influence their return to work.
Safe Work said that between 22 June and 30 September a total of 4,588 people across Australia were surveyed by the Australian National University’s Social Research Centre, which prepared the Report.
“The vast majority (91.6 per cent) of all workers surveyed in 2021 reported having returned to work at some time since their work-related injury or illness,” Safe Work said.
It said despite broadly consistent overall Return to Work (RTW) rates in 2021, compared to previous years there were some negative trends across other measures including a decline in self-reported health; an increase in unsuccessful RTW attempts; and a reduction in workers’ perception of employer support.
The Agency said the Survey also revealed some positive trends with workers reporting less financial distress; generally positive employer interactions; healthcare provider interactions were generally “not stressful”; and most workers felt they could easily access medical care.
“To understand potential COVID-19 related effects, the 2021 NRTWS asked a sub-sample of 1,620 respondents to what extent and how the pandemic affected their recovery and RTW (Section 2),” Safe Work Australia said.
“Combined results from the two questions indicated that around three quarters (73.4%) of respondents felt that COVID-19 had no impact on their recovery and RTW.”
It said that for those respondents who did report an impact from COVID-19, the effects were mostly negative, such as limited access to social and family supports and treatments for recovery.
Safe Work Australia’s 75-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
