Post-injury RTO support prevents disengagement, turnover

Employees returning to work after injury risk workplace stigma, which could lead to engagement and turnover drains, with safe workplaces the key to prevention, experts have said.

An increasing number of workers returning to work after injury are facing scrutiny, which experts warned could lead to negative flow-on effects for employers, such as longer absences and the loss of skilled workers.

Travis Schultz & Partners special counsel Sarah Grace noted that these workers are increasingly facing subtle and sustained barriers upon their return to the workplace. “We’re seeing more people who have suffered an injury being shut out of work – not because they can’t perform, but because of assumptions about their reliability, capability, or risk,” Grace said.

“That can show up in a reluctance to re-hire, reduced hours, fewer opportunities, or a shift in how someone is treated by colleagues and supervisors.”

In light of World Day for Safety and Health at Work earlier this week, Grace said employers must prevent injury and support workers during their return to work to create a safe working environment.

“Returning to work after an injury is a particularly vulnerable period, not just physically but psychologically, and how someone is received can significantly shape their recovery,” said Psychiatrist Dr Sally Lambert.

Lambert noted that the stigma that injured workers face on their return can lead to a significant psychological impact during their recovery.

“... The workplace response can have a greater psychological impact than the injury itself,” Lambert said.

“If a person feels excluded or treated differently, it can undermine their sense of belonging and confidence at a time when they’re already questioning their capacity in the workplace.”

“This kind of psychological distress can complicate recovery and extend it well beyond the physical injury. In some cases, it’s the workplace response that has the greatest impact of all.”

For Lambert, a lack of support for these workers could lead to psychological injury, which often begins with the workers slowly withdrawing from colleagues and an eventual reluctance to re-engage.

“Workplace safety doesn’t end with the injury or initial recovery – how someone is supported to return, and how they are treated when they do, is just as critical,” Grace said.

Broader implications, such as longer absences, higher turnover, and the loss of skilled workers, are some impacts that employers and the workforce can face if workers returning to work after injury are not supported, she added.

“Average time off work for psychological injuries is often more than double that of physical injuries, reinforcing the need for better support – not additional barriers – when people are trying to return to work,” she said.

Carlos Tse

Carlos Tse is a graduate journalist writing for Accountants Daily, HR Leader, Lawyers Weekly.

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