The Best Return-to-Work Strategies to Optimize Employee Outcomes

For many employers and workers' comp managers, the prospect of an injured employee returning to work is a source of anxiety and stress. It's understandable—after all, you don't want to put your employee in harm's way or risk further injury. But it's important to remember that getting an injured worker back to work as quickly and safely as possible is critical to ensuring their long-term health, both physically and mentally.

Return-to-work (RTW) strategies can provide an effective solution for getting employees back on the job safely—and they can help you optimize employee outcomes over time. Here, we outline strategies workers' comp managers can deploy to improve those processes.

The Best Return-to-Work Strategies

1. Plan Ahead

Let's face it; you can never tell when or how an employee may get injured. But you can still plan ahead by creating a comprehensive RTW policy. This policy should include clear guidelines for returning to work in compliance with workers' compensation laws, along with specific instructions and guidelines for coping post-injury.

Here are the key considerations to make when creating your policy:

Understand the specific state laws that apply to RTW. Ensure you're familiar with all of the applicable laws in your state and create a policy that complies with them.
Outline the roles and responsibilities of each party involved in the RTW process, including managers, supervisors, HR representatives, and medical providers.
Establish a timeline for when employees should return to work and ensure everyone is clear on the timeline.
Set clear expectations for employee behavior upon their return to work.
Determine what job accommodations may need to be made for an injured worker's return to work. For example, if an employee was injured while lifting objects, you may need to provide alternative tasks that don't require lifting.

2. Job Modification

As we've hinted above, accommodating an injured worker's return to work may involve job modification. This could include anything from reducing physical strain to altering their hours or workspace. You must evaluate the employee's abilities and devise a suitable plan for their return.

Here are a few strategies to deploy:

If the injured worker was involved in a particular job task at the time of injury, explore ways to modify that task to make it safe for them to do.
If the injured worker needs physical therapy, work with a physical therapist to help assess the injured area and identify accessible job tasks that they can do.
Evaluate the workplace environment and make any necessary changes to accommodate their return, such as installing ergonomic equipment or rearranging workspaces.
Provide a temporary transition period for the employee to adapt and gradually return to their pre-injury job duties.
If the injured employee has valuable skills, find creative ways to deploy them so they can be productive without taking on all the physical responsibilities.

3. Progressive Return to Work

The physical and psychological trauma of a workplace injury can be overwhelming for an employee. That's why it's important to establish a progressive return to work plan that considers the individual's physical and mental needs. Moreover, their positions may have already been (temporarily) filled since productivity must never stop. And they're probably still recovering when they're first able to return to work.

Therefore, a progressive RTW plan involves gradually increasing an employee's workload over time. This will allow them to slowly adjust to their new job duties while building strength and stamina. You also want to follow these additional progressive return-to-work steps:

Develop a testing and monitoring program to ensure employees are not overexerting themselves as they take on more duties.
Regularly check in with the employee to gauge their progress and adjust their duties and workload accordingly.
Involve the employee in creating their own RTW plan, as this will help give them a sense of control and ownership over the process.
Provide training and support for returning employees so they can feel more confident in their new job duties.
Be flexible. If an employee becomes overwhelmed, be prepared to reduce their workload as needed. This will ensure they don't become injured again or suffer further psychological distress.

4. Communication

Much time and effort goes into returning an injured worker to a modified or temporary job, and employers must remain organized throughout. This requires frequent communication with all parties involved. We're talking about the employee, the physician, the insurance adjuster, a vocational rehabilitation counselor and/or a return-to-work committee member.

Remember that the injured employee is likely vulnerable and uncertain about their return to work, so keeping them in the loop is important. Here are some additional tips for effective communication:

Ensure there is an open dialogue between everyone involved in the process.
Encourage employees to communicate any concerns or requests they may have.
Keep all communication documents organized so everyone involved can easily access them when needed.
Make sure to ask questions during communication that will provide you with useful feedback.
Regularly update employees on their progress and what comes next in the return-to-work process.

5. Regular Monitoring and Adjustments

Ultimately, you want the employee to return to their pre-injury job duties as quickly and safely as possible. To do this, you need to regularly monitor their progress and make adjustments when necessary.

Follow these steps to monitor an injured worker's progress:

Track the employee's progress by documenting their work hours and duties.
Be aware of any changes in an employee's physical or mental abilities and adjust accordingly.
Have regular check-ins with the employee to ask how they feel about returning to work.
Make necessary adjustments based on feedback and medical advice
If the employee appears to be struggling, consider if a different job or duties may be more suitable.

Want to learn more? Check out The One Thing That All Great Workers' Comp Claim Managers Do!

Over to You!

Returning an injured worker to the workplace can be a complex process, but with careful planning and monitoring, nothing will stand in your way. And it doesn't take much to establish a progressive return-to-work plan that considers the individual's physical and mental needs.

By following the tips outlined above, you can ensure your employee is supported throughout their return to work journey. And they will be able to regain their productivity levels while still staying safe and healthy.

At Alloy Employer Services, we're committed to helping employers create safe and successful working environments. We ensure your workers' compensation program complies with the latest regulations, so you don't have to worry about costly fines or penalties. When you partner with us, we'll offer a FREE, no-obligation claims assessment that will help you take the guesswork out of managing workers' compensation.

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