In the workplace, there is an veiled understanding of the RTW Coordinator’ role, -“You return injured people to work right?”  

It’s true, I do.  However, what I really do is build relationships, create trust and grow partnerships. RTW Coordinators are the meat in the workplace wellbeing sandwich. 

The contexts in which we do this work are diverse. The role works down, up and sideways.

If I am lucky a manager/supervisor will  advise me of an incident or I will receive an incident form.

I contact the worker and explain who I am and what my role is in the organisation.  We meet. I believe in being honest about explaining entitlements, I want the injured worker to understand the process, that the objective is always to return them to work in their pre-injury role, that I am there to provide support, but they have an obligation to follow their treatment and participate in return to work, I want them to be confident that we will work together in managing their injury/illness, and  in developing their RTW program. 

I develop a positive relationship with the injured worker.  A successful RTW outcome, for both the injured worker and the organisation, hinges on this. It is a two way street, the injured worker needs me to acknowledge their injury/illness, to feel I understand its impact on them and to know they can trust me.

Concurrently, I will be in contact with the injured worker’s manager/supervisor and their GP. 

My relationship with the manager/supervisor is important because they have a vital role to play in the identification of RTW duties, providing direct support to the injured worker, and in monitoring the RTW program.  I need to gauge whether they have personalised the injury.  For instance, soft tissue injuries are hard to see, this can impact on a manager/supervisor acknowledging that the injury is work related as opposed to something obvious like a broken limb.  If the injury has been  personalised I sort this out.

With the permission of the injured worker I develop a relationship with their GP. Generally via the phone – GP’s are more amenable to speak with you when you pay for this service.  In the first instance I explain how the organisation has/is minimising further risk to the injured worker, I outline our injury/illness management policy and say I have an expectation that we will work together for the benefit of the injured worker and their RTW. 

The above activities create an environment in which we can all work together to develop the RTW program and achieve a positive outcome.  

The role of RTW Coordinator is to empower the injured worker, and focuses on what they can do. The GP ensures the RTW duties are aligned with the medical restrictions and the manager/supervisor supports the application of the RTW duties within the work environment. 

While returning injured workers to work is the major component of what I do , I also have a responsibility to use the same skills in developing relationships with senior management. In this context I advocate policy and program improvements, while explaining the financial benefits of these to senior management.

As a RTW Coordinator I see myself as the major ingredient in my organisation’s workhealth sandwich.  It’s a great job.  I make a difference.