Recovery at work insider - Issue 16

28 June 2022

The positive impact of using a written recover at work plan

Why is this important?

A written recover at work plan clearly conveys to you, your worker and their support team, your worker’s goals and assists you to prepare for, respond to, and manage their recovery at work.   

An effective recover at work plan enables timely and positive re-engagement in work that is productive for both you and your worker.

From the evidence

A written recover at work plan developed in collaboration with your worker and the worker’s support team, significantly improves the likelihood of successful RTW following injury.¹

In the early stage of a claim, a written recover at work plan increases the likelihood of RTW by 1.7 times, and by 3.4 times after 30 days.²

What you can do

• Use a tailored person-centred approach to assist your worker to take an active role
• Ask your worker about the parts of their job they feel they can do and the support they need to recover at work
• Collaborate with your worker and their support team in the development of the plan
• Use SIRA’s Recover at work planning tool or your own, to document your worker’s goals, capacity, worksite support/ arrangements, duties and timeframes
• Tailor the information in the plan to ensure your worker and their supervisor understand the work they will do and any support needed
• Include timeframes for when you and your worker plan to review progress
• Review and amend the written plan at regular intervals if recovery is quicker / slower than expected
• Ensure changes to the plan are focused on achieving your workers goal/s.

Resources and tools

• Recover at work planning tool
• When a worker is injured: A workers compensation guide for employers
• SIRA RTW coordination eLearning- Developing a recover at work plan.

Next edition

Our July edition will look at the importance of maintaining skills to effectively support recovery at work.

Missed an issue? Read our most recent issues below:

• Issue 15: Providing suitable work improves recovery outcomes
• Issue 14: Identifying suitable work
• Issue 13: Providing suitable work improves recovery outcomes
• Issue 12: Identifying risk factors for delayed recovery improves outcomes
• Issue 11: Recovery through work, 2021 a year in review
• Issue 10: Support your workers to recover at work through a coordinated approach between stakeholders
• Issue 9: Equipping workers to take an active role in their recovery achieves better outcomes
• Issue 8: Early, supportive contact improves recovery at work outcomes
• Issue 7: Support workers to report an injury early 
• Issue 6: Ensure leaders are engaged and committed to a positive recovery culture
• Issue 5: Leaders are committed to building RTW capability 
• Issue 4: Design and implement effective return to work systems
• Issue 3: Promote the health benefits of good work and recovery at work
• Issue 2: Positive workplace culture improves recovery at work outcomes 
• Issue 1: Successful recovery at work strategies

References

1. Collie, A., Lane, T., Di Donato, M. and Iles, R. August 2018. Barriers and enablers to RTW: literature review. Insurance Work and Health Group, Monash University: Melbourne, Australia
2. Sheehan LR, Gray SW, Lane TJ, Beck D, Collie A. 2018. Employer Support for Injured Australian Workers: Overview and association with RTW. Insurance Work and Health Group. Monash University: Melbourne.