Two research reports by Griffith University have been published by Safe Work Australia as part of the National Return to Work Strategy 2020-2030.
The Reports, Psychological Response to Injury: Research to support workers’ psychological responses to injury and successful return to work (June 2021) and Stigma Towards Injured or Ill Workers: Research on the causes and impact of stigma in workplaces, and approaches to creating positive workplace cultures that support return to work (June 2021) , make recommendations to meaningfully support workers in their recovery and return to work.
Safe Work Australia said recommendations included empowering workers to play an active role in their own recovery and return to work by providing both practical and psychological support.
It said the Reports also recommend that greater access be provided to workplace arrangements such as flexible scheduling, task modifications, graded return, or role changes.
Safe Work said the results of its 2018 National Return to Work Survey showed that of the workers who had returned to work, 36.1 per cent returned to modified hours.
“Of workers surveyed, 32.2 per cent thought that people at work (including their peers) would treat them differently if they made a workers’ compensation claim and that workers who were not concerned about claiming were 3.1 times more likely to return to work,” it said.
Safe Work said the National Return to Work Strategy 2020-30 was driving national action to improve return-to-work outcomes for workers with a work-related injury or illness.
“Workers are at the heart of the Strategy’s vision to minimise the impact of work-related injury and illness, and enable a timely, safe and durable return to work,” it said.
“A positive return to work is multi-faceted.
“It involves a range of stakeholders working together to support the worker through their recovery and return to work.”
Safe Work said the Strategy was an evidence-based framework that offered everyone in the return-to-work process the opportunity to reflect on their own policies and practices.
The 55-page Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link, the 87-page Psychological Response to Injury Report at this link, and the 62-page Stigma Towards Injured or Ill Workers Report at this link.
