Employers often wonder if they are doing all they can to support their employees who are injured at work. For example, if an employee is injured, received the appropriate medical attention, and you’ve reported the injury to us, what can you do next to support them? Stay connected.
Staying connected is a proven way to help an injured worker recover and can also help them safely return to work up to twice as quickly. Some workers are ready to return to work right away; others need time. For most, being connected to their workplace and having a supervisor who reaches out to understand how they are doing is very important.
Ways to connect with an injured worker
- Reach out right away after an injury to inquire about their well-being and offer your support.
- Maintain consistent, meaningful contact throughout their recovery. For example, if an injured worker is not ready to return to work, depending on their injury and stage of recovery, consider including them in staff meetings, special events, training, and even coffee with co-workers to keep them involved.
Stay connected webinar series for employers
We’re excited to launch a new webinar series for employers on how you can help and support your employees who are injured at work.
This four-part webinar series addresses topics most requested by employers and includes ways to stay connected to an injured worker and support their recovery and return to work.
See below to register for a future webinar or watch a recording of a previous one.
| # | Topic | Date | Register or watch recording | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Staying connected | Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe | November 30, 2022 | |
| 2 | The importance of human connection in workplace safety | Kevin Burns | February 7, 2023 | |
| 3 | Supporting employees with mental health injuries | Stéphane Grenier | March 15, 2023 | |
| 4 | How to build and support a return-to-work (RTW) plan | Lesley Maisey | April 19, 2023 |
Changes to the Graduated Return-to-Work Plan
On May 1, 2023, we updated many of our report templates, including the Graduated Return-to-Work Plan (Form 8D202), to reflect abilities-focused language.
Abilities-focused language sets up workers and employers for success by framing conversations around function and abilities rather than limitations and restrictions — focusing on what workers can do, rather than what they can’t. For example, our Graduated Return-to-Work Plan template now refers to “job tasks to perform” and “job tasks not to perform” instead of “limitations,” and differentiates these from medical restrictions. This shift helps ensure both the worker and employer are aware of what the worker is able to do safely and how they can continue to contribute to the workplace while they recover, and will ultimately help workers and employers to explore more stay-at-work and return-to-work scenarios.