EML Group is thrilled to collaborate with It Pays To Care. Funded by the Mutual Benefits Program, this partnership provides essential expertise in our ability to bring important programs, projects and solutions to our customers and communities we serve.
We credit It Pays to Care as the source of the following article.
Psychosocial safety transforming Work Health and Safety and Return to Work outcomes
Consider two workers with identical injuries in different workplaces.
In the first workplace the supervisor checks on the worker soon after the injury. There is clear, regular communication about a return to work (RTW) plan, incorporating flexible work arrangements.
In the second workplace there is little communication and no RTW plan or task flexibility.
As the It Pays To Care policy (developed by the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine) shows, the two workers in these examples will have dramatically different RTW outcomes.
Psychosocial factors
In addition to the biological fact of the worker’s injury, psychological and social elements (termed psychosocial factors) play a pivotal role in RTW success.
Psychosocial factors can be personal to the worker, such as recovery expectations, depression and adverse life experiences, or present in the workplace context, for example job control, work demands and bureaucracy. Psychosocial factors can account for a staggering 85% of outcomes in prolonged work disability cases.
Linking WHS and RTW thinking
The influence of psychosocial factors extends beyond RTW outcomes: they are fundamental to workplace health and safety as a whole. There is also a legal duty for employers to prevent psychological harm in the workplace.
The same factors that support successful recovery after an injury - such as strong leadership commitment, worker autonomy and supportive workplace relationships - also help prevent workplace injuries and illness in the first place. By recognising that psychosocial factors are important for both recovery and prevention, organisations can create integrated approaches where RTW programs and WHS initiatives reinforce each other, leading to better outcomes in both areas.
For instance, insights gained from supporting injured workers can inform prevention strategies, while strong safety systems create the foundation for successful RTW programs.
The Power of integration
Breaking down silos between Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) and Return to Work (RTW) departments fosters a more comprehensive view of health and safety and allows ideas and strategies to cross-pollinate between departments. Risk identification and management becomes more effective. Processes are streamlined and outcomes improve across both prevention and recovery domains.
Several key elements support both prevention and post-injury care.
- Senior management engagement influences resource allocation and sets the cultural tone.
- Worker participation helps identify risks and develop solutions.
- Clear communication channels and supportive policies provide frameworks for action.
- Most importantly, a positive organisational culture promotes psychological safety and open dialogue.
Taking stock: The People At Work Survey
Measuring psychosocial risk in your organisation is an important first step. The People At Work survey is a free and validated Australian psychosocial risk assessment survey that assesses the most common psychosocial factors. Workplaces with 20 or more workers can register at peopleatwork.gov.au to access the survey and accompanying resources that you can use to identify, assess and control risks to psychological health at work. Smaller workplaces can find a factsheet titled ‘Psychological health for small business’ on the People At Work website.
It Pays To Care
By taking an integrated approach to psychosocial safety, organisations can better prevent injuries and support recovery when injuries do occur. This systematic approach leads to better outcomes for workers and employers alike.
To learn more about evidence-based RTW practices and how to implement them in your organisation, visit www.itpaystocare.org.
Article source: It Pays to Care
Disclaimer
The EML Group is made up of a group of companies owned and operated by a partnership between Employers Mutual Limited ABN 67 000 006 486 and ASWIG Management Pty Limited ABN 52 002 617 012, providing personal injury claims management and administrative services to government and non-government entities across the workers compensation, life insurance and accident industries.
Employers Mutual Limited (ABN 67 000 006 486) is a mutual company owned by its members. The Mutual Benefits Program is funded by Employers Mutual Limited. Employers Mutual Limited is proudly part of the EML Group.
The information contained on this article has been prepared for general information only. It has not been prepared for any person's individual circumstances and is not intended to be legal, medical or workplace health and safety advice. EML takes no responsibility for the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of any information included in the material provided.