This Articles Summary Page lists the latest content in each section. Click the
section headings to see all articles on that subject.
 |
 |
|
Improving Your Workplace With Employee Surveys
|
Seasoned return to work professional Joanne Taranto explains the basis of a great RTW program.
|
Dr. Natasha Kiso partners with Return To Work Matters to deliver supervisor training.
|
Dr. Robyn Horsley gives us ten tips for great communication with the treating doctor
|
Dr. Robyn Horsley explains the issues of communicating with a treating doctor.
|
We look at the impact of narcissism at work, methods of identification and effective ways to deal with it.
|
The benefits of humor in the workplace
|
We look at the practical measures organizations can take to encourage employees to work with them, not for them
|
If you spend your working week perched in front of your computer, it's vital that you educate yourself on the correct workstation setup to prevent chronic and long-term injury.
|
In Part 1 of this 2-part series we explore the characteristics and benefits of engaged employees
|
Standing work stations can create problems, we look at how you can minimize these issues and provide a better workplace.
|
Make a big difference by assisting employees who've decided on surgery
|
Help workers understand the options and outcomes
|
Job design includes the physical layout, AND how jobs fit the person's psyche. Deadlines, flexible work practices, control, workplace culture need to be address to prevent and manage physical and mental health problems.
|
This introduction to ergonomics tells you about what ergonomics is, introduces you to the basic principles of ergonomics and talks about why you'd want to address it at the workplace.
|
Seated workstations are not complicated to set up well. We cover the basics so you can help others avoid problems.
|
Better ways of delivering bad news
|
What do good health, better financial returns and the "Best Places to Work" have in common?
|
It's easy to get lost in a labriynth of data about the planet's no. 1 killer.
|
Celia Prosser, owner and director of Achieve with Ease, explains how her experience as a Return to Work Coordinator helps her resolve workplace conflict.
|
Pain is certainly impacted by physical factors, but only taking a medical perspective on pain can mean that you’re missing a huge part of the picture.
|
Don't just hear the words, listen to them. These five steps to becoming an active listener will help you build a better workplace.
|
Sharing RTW information with workers creates connections and ensures consistency across diverse workplaces. This case study, from Scenic Rim Regional Council in QLD, shows you how to enage workers from induction onwards.
|
This article will focus on the things they don't teach you in college courses; the things that get in the way of RTW. These are also things we don't like to talk about… the elephant in the room: ATTITUDE. Not just the client's, but of our own as well.
|
Guest writer Dan Thompson takes a look at the history of discriminative laws in place prior to the ADA.
|
When things go from good to bad in rtw, it is worth exploring what has happened.
|
Ingrid Ozols - founder and Director of the Mental Health at Work initiative - demonstrates the importance of reading the signs of mental illness.
|
We speak to Jody Bell about Centrelink's award-winning health and wellbeing initiative.
|
Ingrid Ozols - Founder and Director of the Mental Health at Work initiative - explains the importance of reading the signs of mental illness.
|
Effective upwards communication is good for your career and can help you establish a best practice injury management system. How is it done?
|
Think that 30-40 minutes of daily exercise gets an office-based workforce off the hook? Think again. Activity throughout the day is a must for good health.
|
Implementing job rotation.
|
How do managers and supervisors impact the mental and emotional wellbeing of their team? Is it possible to manage in a way that promotes good mental and emotional health?
|
What is job rotation, what are the benefits and how do you implement it?
|
Overcome the common barriers and ensure employee buy-in.
|
|
Making the business case for best practice injury management? There are simple methods to assist you in calculating the rate and cost of staff turnover in your organization.
|
RTW Coordinators who manage time well do better. What are the secrets to good time management?
|
Here are a list of top ten tips from RTW professionals.
|
This case study looks at how involving and supporting the partner of an injured worker greatly assists the RTW process.
|
Hang on! Isn't RTW supposed to be all about the love? We count down ten ways to improve rocky worker / manager relationships.
|
Proactive tips for employers on working through issues with troubled employees.
|
Qantas Airlines has recently developed a program for safely retaining older manual handling workers. First step: Is there is a match between required tasks and individual capacity?
|
Keep your workers happy, healthy and productive! Find out why ergonomics is important and then use our top ten tips to improve your office ergonomics.
|
How to look out for and deal with signs of suicide in your workplace.
|
Elizabeth draws on personal experience in this User Guide To Maintaining a Positive Attitude on the Road to Recovery.
|
Research shows that the demonstration of workplace support for an injured worker's welfare is a major factor in a successful return to work.
|
Are you a RTW professional daunted by the prospect of working with a predominantly blue collar workforce? You're not alone. Here are ten tried and tested tips for building rapport.
|
We respond to a common RTW Coordinator question.
|
Recovering workers who believe they've been treated unfairly might actually have lower functional ability than those who think that they've had a fair go. How can you get past the victim mentality?
|
Simple, straightforward guidelines for ensuring injured employees have access to all their legal entitlements.
|
What's the best way to deal with stress in the workplace? Prevent it from ever occurring! Our ten tips show you how.
|
The pace of return to activity after an accident or injury is dictated by more than just physical limitations; the mental hurdles can be just as great. Here are seven secrets to help you get back up to speed.
|
The pros and cons of working from home when returning to work.
|
Missing out on early intervention puts an end to this cleaner's night job, but doesn't stop her from retraining for a satisfying new career.
|
If an 80 year old butcher with a twice-torn rotator cuff sounds like a tough return to work gig, meet Keith Schwarze, whose love for his job made him determined to work again.
|
Recognizing conflict BEFORE you trip over it is essential for managing successful return to work.
|
Small Business series Part 2: The nuts and bolts.
|
Twelve tips to help cope with the challenges of caring for a sick or injured love one.
|
Small Business series - Part 1
|
Understanding how peoples' distress can interfere with their recovery is the key to addressing difficult RTW cases.
|
Making work modifications for workers with a long-term disease can help them avoid sickness absence and work disability, and improve their productivity.
|
From the hot tubs of New Zealand to the bread and butter of a RTW Coordinators work.
|
Is it possible to have too much optimism? And what's the best approach to take when you're confronted by someone else's pessimism?
|
Have you felt your feet today? Did you take a breath break? We arrive at work, ready to use our mind. But most of us do not think about consciously connecting our mind with our body, breath and soul.
|
What is optimism? How is it good for health? When is it wise, in professional life, to get your grin on?
|
Does job design affect health and performance in the workplace? And if so, how can jobs be redesigned to improve both?
|
Cancer survivor John Stubbs talks about his journey back to good health and back to work, in a hugely important role.
|
We don't talk enough about the poor outcomes associated with workers' compensation.
|
We look at 10 ways to deal with the stress of chronic pain.
|
Passive. Aggressive. Assertive. How does your professional communication style affect your working life?
|
Know what you want from people at work, but not how to get it? Learn how to talk the talk, and frame your requests assertively.
|
You know organizational trust has tangible benefits. Now for the hard yards: how can you foster trust in your workplace, and in your injury management system?
|
What is stigma? What are some consequences of stigma? How might stigma manifest in the workplace? And what can you do about it?
|
Of all American work-related injuries, a large percentage can be categorized as musculoskeletal disorders.
|
Finding it hard to move your company on workplace well-being? Run these case studies by them and see if they don't step to a new tune.
|
Sometimes compensation systems, not injury, deliver the knock out blow. Don't let that happen to your workers!
|
We corral five notorious porky pies about work and aging and pit them against the fast-draw facts.
|
Read Mary’s guide to fearless RTW Coordination leadership, then take up our Choose Your Own Adventure Leadership Challenge!
|
Psychologist Colin Thompson introduces us to Mindfulness Therapy, which has been shown to assist people with problems including anxiety, chronic pain and addiction.
|
Ten tips to loosen your tongue and ease your mind when that big presentation looms.
|
A look at the UK College of Occupational Therapists' new paper, "Vocational rehabilitation: what is it, who can deliver it and who pays?"
|
Denmark has a social system in place that keeps unemployment low, wages high, and job prospects flexible and secure.
|
The SPICE treatment method is simple and proven since WWI.
|
Researchers now know how tiny, drug-free needles kill pain. This briefing paper covers what acupuncture is, and what it's good for.
|
Taking ages to recover and return to regular duties after a workers' compensation claim? Make some noise!
|
How to take the long view and get where you want to go, faster.
|
Why don't doctors communicate well when returning patients to work? Let's consider ways of helping them to.
|
Getting the information you need to facilitate RTW shouldn't be as painful as pulling teeth--you just need to get zen and ask the right questions...
|
The second half of Dr Dhir's doctor-patient communication insights.
|
Mr X had been a 'journeyman' worker for many years before he developed a destructive and debilitating anxiety.
|
The first half of RTW Matter's interview with Dr Hari Dhir.
|
A fake sickie could land you in more trouble than it's worth
|
Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as RTW Matters presents a three-part series of articles on sleepiness in the workplace. Here's part one...
|
Hurdling with a briefcase is tough, so why not dismantle RTW relationship barriers before they trip you up?
|
Part One - What are the barriers to good doctor / employer relationships?
|
A fact sheet about shoulder pain, including workplace contributions and solutions
|
In response to a reader's questions, our resident Occ Phys explains how to encourage a proactive approach to return to work.
|
When it comes to "invisible injury", what you CAN'T see CAN hurt you--and your RTW prospects. How can the workplace help?
|
And how do I get those skills? Are they the same for Coordinators in companies of all sizes?
|
The basics about confidentiality, return to work and workers' comp
|
What are the skills a return to work coordinator needs to do the job well... and how to get them.
|
|
We respond to a Return to Work Coordinator's query about resolving problems between employers and insurers.
|
Dispatch from the desk of a RTW Coordinator, tackling re-injury and a nasty case of badweekitis.
|
|
RTW Coordinators nominate the top RTW challenges faced by employers, workers and treating practitioners
|
If patients who see an occupational doctor get better results, why isn't it common practice?
|
Employees expect more from supervisors than supervisors are prepared to give - but training can build a RTW bridge!
|
A change is as good as a vacation, right? Keep the blues away by implementing change where it's needed at your work.
|
Want something done at work? It helps to know what you're working with. Start by asking yourself these questions...
|
Not every injured or ill worker has the "I think I can" attitude of the Little Engine That Could. But you can get them there!
|
Not yet a RTW pro? A tip: avoid these three attitudes when dealing with an injured worker.
|
You don't have to hang anybody out to dry. Instead, make plans and make friends.
|
Identify "dirty" laundry and take it to the cleaners
|
Iron out problems by taking action
|
The who, what, where, and when of RTW case management
|
Keep workers at work with a dose of sick leave sugar (and a dash of lemon!)
|
A down-the-line serve about work and tennis elbow, including good news about recovery and prevention.
|
Hand-selected return to work mantras to help your RTW experience run more smoothly.
|
Advice on how to bite the signs of disengagement - before they bite you
|
Tips for supervisors who have their doubts about a worker's injury or compensation claim.
|
A fact sheet for injured workers
|
A broad selection from the case studies available on RTW Matters
|
Want a better workplace? Get happier. Here are some pointers on how.
|
This comprehensive guide to helping workers with back pain will have you donning lycra in no time...
|
Jack of all trades? Conjurer of motivation and modified duties? Pickle in the middle? We lay it all out on the table...
|
There are three golden rules for small business owners who doubt the work-relatedness of an injury...
|
||
A quick guide to the advantages and basic techniques of active listening.
|
The most common barriers to RTW are "psychosocial." Getting to know them makes it possible to overcome them.
|
A quick guide to minimizing negative impacts of downsizing on workers' comp claims and return to work.
|
Feel like you've hit a brick wall? Practical tips to help you chisel away at it...
|
How do employers know who is the right staff member to delegate the role of RTW coordinator?
|
These practical industry insights will save you from having to grow an extra pair of arms...
|
Arranging resources helps to achieve long-term workplace objectives. Here's how to make injury management planning work.
|
This simple checklist will help you pinpoint the problem and jump start the process.
|
RTW motivation can be hard to muster...Unless you've had your dose of the RTWMatters motivational mojo!
|
Aged care worker, Donna Taylor, remains positive by taking on an admin role following an injury at work.
|
There's no question about it, injured workers need special treatment. Employers, here are ten ways to show workers you care...
|
If you're having trouble convincing injured or ill workers that early return to work is the best option, there are 5 things they need to know...
|
Why it's worth noticing when employees feel overloaded - and what you can do about it.
|
Supervisors apathetic about RTW? You gotta bust that apathy asap!
|
Missing the zing in your step? Here's some help to refresh at work and steps to getting in the work groove.
|
Maximize the chances of great RTW outcomes by avoiding these factors that hold up the process.
|
Resources for surviving the rough and tumble of claims' management. Bonus: we'll help you enjoy the ride.
|
Practical tips for reducing musculoskeletal claims
|
Who has control over organizing modified duties in your workplace - and what are the pros and cons of having them in charge?
|
What approaches can you take in the all-too-common situation of needing to convince others that good RTW is worth the effort?
|
What happens in the first five minutes after injury affects health outcomes and costs. And your time starts...
|
Need some ammunition to make the case for investment in health and well-being? Look no further than our latest top ten...
|
How to recognize doctors who are good communicators - and why it's in your interest to seek them out.
|
Missing a bus stop is the last thing fatigued workers should be worrying about. Try diabetes, heart disease, depression...
|
Conflict driving you crazy? Use it to drive innovation...
|
It's a shame that something so clearly beneficial to injured workers is being done by so few.
|
Ignoring the non-physical causes of musculoskeletal problems leads to very poor outcomes in this all too familiar case study.
|
A short guide to surviving the recession for busy RTW and OHS professionals.
|
Dr Steve Beller says 'Joy of living' is a much more powerful motivator than 'fear of illness and death'.
|
Getting back to work after illness or injury can be daunting. Stick to our top ten, however, and not only will you survive - you'll thrive.
|
Good workplace culture fosters loyal employees who want to remain at their workplace.
|
A code of ethics would have helped former return to work coordinator 'Layla' to educate injured workers and combat an investigate-happy manager.
|
Remember how your mom taught you to turn lemons into lemonade? In this series of bite-sized articles, we make cookies out of conflict!
|
"Bad medicine" delaying RTW at your organization? Our latest top ten will help sweeten your relationship with medical practitioners...
|
According to a new study to emerge from the UK, employers are squandering their workers' talents.
|
Supervising return to work ain't easy...unless you've read our latest top ten!
|
In a presentation given at the 2009 Workers' Compensation Summit in Melbourne, Jackie Burke discussed vicarious trauma and how her workplace is helping employees combat its effects.
|
Changes to your injury management system can help reduce claim duration.
|
Dutch occupational physician Frederieke Schaafsma describes a new Netherlands system of return to work that has seen the number of employees on long-term sick leave dramatically reduced.
|
Take a look at the ten main points to emerge from RTW Matters' interview with Dr William Shaw from the US's Centre for Disability Research, Liberty Mutual.
|
After return to work coordinators expressed to us, a lack of formal guidance in their role as coordinators - more specifically - the lack of a Code of Ethics - we set about developing one.
|
A look at why money spent on researching health is money spent well.
|
Productive employment probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of depression. But helping employees with depression stay at work is good for everybody. Our top ten tips show you how it's done...
|
Dr William Shaw takes us behind the (research) scenes at Liberty Mutual in the US.
|
What does "evidence based medicine" refer to exactly, and why should we care to know?
|
Take this test to see if you or your employees are feeling how they ought to in the workplace. The test highlights the key factors in retaining star staff-members.
|
This case study looks at a young man with a long career ahead of him and the reasons he will probably never return to his job.
|
As we begin drafting a Code of Ethics to help return to work coordinators do their job, we invite you to get involved!
|
A positive story of a long road back to a better life.
|
Web based self assessment & exercise tool
|
For men and women, entrance to mid-life will affect them - at home and at work - in different ways. Occupational medicine can help.
|
Words may not break bones like sticks and stones, but they can still do a lot of damage.
|
In this interview with UK expert we learn that modern vocational rehabilitation is not about delivering an expensive service.
|
A back to the basics look at getting it right from the beginning
|
What do we mean by "workplace culture"? How to make sure it's "good" and what does "good" culture actually mean?
|
Returning to work is good for your health, and in the UK there is a collective voice that agrees.
|
When a worker is physically injured, it isn't just the body that suffers.
|
The path to return to work shouldn't have to be long and difficult
|
Communication between GP's and occupational health professionals
|
It's more important than ever to understand the factors that help and hinder cancer patients return to work.
|
With dignity and respect, self-responsibility and supportive relationships, return to work after mental illness is achievable.
|
Gabrielle Lis joins RTWMatters from the beach at Wilson's Prom
|
In an interview with Wolfgang Zimmermann, Executive Director of NIDMAR, we learn the story of his special return to work, and hear how he's made a career out of helping others to do the same.
|
When a heroin and alcohol addiction lead you to the darkest places you've ever been, what can bring you back to the light?
|
A chapter summary from the book 'Moving in on occupational injury' exploring the benefits of on-site medical presence.
|
The final article in the motivation series looks at the strategies and techniques of motivational interviewing.
|
A badly managed case of staff burnout highlights the importance of an integrated approach to return to work
|
In the case of Mr S, a well managed return to work system saves an employer $$ and provides good outcomes for a worker with anxiety.
|
The penultimate article in the 'Motivation Series' looks at Motivational Interviewing and the positive effects it produces in the Return To Work process.
|
Are you motivated to succeed or to avoid failure?
|
A young, fit worker develops back pain, is advised to rest and cut back activities. Three months later his back pain has not improved. Is rest really the best medicine?
|
Ensuring those who don't need to be away from work get back as soon as possible is best for all.
|
A look at self-efficacy and how it can be maximized in patients.
|
Improving motivation is up to the employee and employer.
|
October is Depressional and Anxiety Awareness month. RTW Matters speak with Clare Shann from beyondblue, the national depression initiative, about recovering from depression in the workplace.
|
Trying to define motivation can be tricky, but let's give it a go.
|
The six-part series continues. This time we look at the effect of a positive attitude towards rehab.
|
The first installment in a six-part series of articles on Motivation in rehabilitation.
|
Poetry, soccer and split infinitives.
|
RTW Matters reasearch and features writer.
|
RTW Matters Senior Writer.
|
A worker has several months off work after experiencing acute back pain. Her eventual return to work was not successful, with frequent aggravation of symptoms resulting in inconsistent working hours and no return to her pre-injury duties after two years
|
Early detection and intervention are the keys when it comes to work-related stress.
|
In an interview with communication consultant Sharon McGann we learn why communication is so important and how to do it better.
|
Talking about your sleepiness, looking out for co-workers and good sleep routines: the final installment of the three-part sleep series looks at the keys to managing sleepiness in the workplace.
|
An older worker develops frozen shoulder after a fracture injury. After several months of rehabilition her condition begins to slowly improve. But before long the same problem starts to develop in her other shoulder.
|
An injured worker, with knee injuries and a heart condition, is laid off and has to deal with the concern that no other employer will take him on.
|
A cleaner works through increasing pain levels for more than two years before reporting her difficulties. By this time she is unable to perform her pre-injury duties and is forced into a longer term rehabilitation program.
|
Cancer patients need thorough reviews post treatment so they can return to suitable working environments.
|
Yes... but let's have a bit of fun while we're doing it.
|
The importance of recognition and education in RTW after a mild traumatic brain injury and groups for whom the process is more difficult.
|
Researchers find that contagious yawning indicates empathy.
|
What do you suggest as a path forward to a positive outcome in this delicate situation?
|
RTW Matters' policy on humor.
|
RTW Matters interviewed 57-year-old 'Sally', who went straight back to work after sustaining a shoulder injury. We learn what helped - and what didn't.
|
A project manager develops an overuse injury and is still on part-time restricted duties after many months.
|
Proactive management is crucial in facilitating a return to work for injured workers who are anxious
A machine operator who already has minimal work restrictions experiences another injury, this time resulting in ongoing soreness, coupled with anxiety and distress. The result is an extended duration of restricted duties.
|
An admin officer developed acute back pain after several weeks of 'nagging' soreness. Questioning the work relatedness of the back pain doubled the costs.
|
A long-term stable worker sustains a significant hip injury. While he has returned to work on restricted duties, a long term view is needed.
|
A long standing employee sustained a significant knee injury at work. Effective coordination and rehabilitation would have changed his life.
|
Workers' compensation and return to work plans have a longer history than you might think.
|
The way we think and process information can lead to avoidable errors.
|
The evidence for and against some of the most common treatments for shoulder and elbow pain.
|
Opening up lines of communication is essential in the return to work process.
|
Studies have now proven that positive psychology has a big impact. In the workplace, it can keep employees happier and more motivated to return to work after an illness or injury.
|
A quarter of working Americans suffer daily pain
|
|