Mathias has faced more challenges in his life than most people. He suffered the loss of his twelve year old son in a cycling accident. This led to Mathias developing depression and he was off work for five years.

When his condition improved, Mathias was keen to return to the workforce, celebrating with family and friends when he landed a job at a biscuit factory. His job on the line involved packing biscuit tins into cartons for delivery. Mathias was a praised by his supervisor for being a fast worker.

In his second week, Mathias noticed a twinge in his right wrist. Not wanting to make a bad impression, he continued working until the end of his shift.

The manager instructed Mathias to work more slowly but Mathias did not want to slow down the line. He was soon back to working at his previous pace, though the pain in his wrist grew worse.

After a week, Mathias’ doctor diagnosed a wrist sprain. He cleared Mathias for work on restricted duties.

Mathias was assigned to the job of labeling boxes in the storeroom. This involved repeatedly bending his injured wrist. By the end of the first day, his wrist was swollen and red. The doctor gave him a further two weeks off.

During Mathias’ time off work, Carlee was appointed as the new Return to Work manager. She sat down with Mathias face-to-face, asking detailed questions about his pain levels, his level of function and his feelings towards work.

In the course of the conversation, Mathias revealed the immense pressure he felt to please his employer. He explained his wife was excited for their “new start” and he feared disappointing her.

Carlee devised a set of appropriate tasks in line with Mathias’ restrictions. She also made it clear to Mathias that the company valued him and fully supported his return to work. She arranged for Mathias to check in with her weekly to air concerns about his role.

Mathias managed to return to work on restricted duties and resumed his normal job within six weeks.

Lessons for return to work

A cookie-cutter approach to return to work may fail to address the individual needs of the worker. No two workers will have exactly the same circumstances or history.

Individualising return to work can include a number of approaches:
 

• Involve the worker in the return to work process
  
  The expert on the individual worker’s needs is the worker. Guessing at what activities might be appropriate could cause more harm than good in the long run.
  
  Liaising with the worker helps the Return to Work manager provide support that is actually needed and relevant. In the long-run, this spares company resources from being wasted on ineffective or inappropriate approaches.
  
   
• Seek to understand the worker’s mental and emotional state
  
  Individualising a program involves more than simply addressing a person’s physical needs. A person’s mental state can have a significant impact on their ability to “bounce back” from injury. Taking the time to check in with the worker gives the manager an insight into how well the worker is coping.
  
  Being in tune to the worker’s mental state also gives a clearer picture of the worker’s circumstances. If Mathias were sent back to work without having talked with Carlee, he may have continued to feel anxious and afraid about losing his job. This could have lead him to remain silent about future aggravations of his injury.
  
  For Matthias to fully recover, he needed Carlee to calm his fears of redundancy and make him feel secure. Other workers may be fearful of re-injuring themselves or harbor anger towards co-workers who failed to help. Any of these issues could de-rail a claim if not addressed.
  
   
• Keep communication lines open
  
  People tend to react to situations based on their prior experiences, worldview and personal values. As a result, no two workers will react identically to the same situation.
  
  Because reactions can vary, it is important for managers to keep lines of communication open even after the case seems to be “wrapped up”. Regular check-ins give workers the opportunity to air grievances, report progress and suggest changes to their duties.
  
  For people like Mathias, who are reluctant to report injury, such meetings provide reassurance that the company is actively interested in their wellbeing.
  
   
• Be flexible
  
  A Return to Work manager able to recognise when a plan is not working is more likely to promote successful return to work.
  
  While Mathias responded positively to Carlee’s approach, other workers may have resented the “special treatment” or perceived “hand holding”. For these workers, supporting them to get back to their normal duties as soon as possible may be the best way to help.
  
  Managers who remain in tune with their worker’s progress will be able to recognise these issues and deal with them before the obstruct return to work.
   

Workers are not all the same, thus neither are work injuries. A personalised approach gives the worker the support they need to overcome their particular challenges.