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The Peer Resource Network Session Two: Return-to-Work 101

The Peer Resource Network Session Two: Return-to-Work 101. Updated: May 2017. The Peer Resource Network: Connecting Leaders, Sparking C hange. What is the Peer Resource Network?.

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The Peer Resource Network Session Two: Return-to-Work 101

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  1. The Peer Resource NetworkSession Two: Return-to-Work 101 Updated: May 2017

  2. The Peer Resource Network: Connecting Leaders, Sparking Change • What is the Peer Resource Network? • Provide leadership teams with a non-judgemental environment to share and learn about occupational health and safety (OH&S) and return-to-work (RTW) best-practices • Connect leadership teams with external resources to support positive change in OH&S and RTW practices

  3. Return-to-Work 101 • Goal: understand the basics of return-to-work programs • Learning Outcomes for Return-to-Work / Recover-at-Work Program: • Have a general understanding of the purpose and understanding of the basic components • Identify opportunities in your workplace to improve your RTW process by learning from your peers • Understand the roles of various stakeholders in creating and implementing a RTW/ SAW program, including: Worker; Employer; WorkSafeBC; Health care professional; and Unions. • Have access to tools and resources to further your understanding of RTW/ SAW • Increase awareness of RTW trends and applicable data

  4. What is a Return-to-Work program? • What does return-to-work mean to you?

  5. Return-to-Work: Definitions Return-to-Workvs. GraduatedReturn-to-Work or Recover-at-Work

  6. Why have a RTW program? Benefits to Workers Benefits to Employers • Maintains ability to earn regular wages • Promotes well-being and recovery of injured workers • Improved mental well-being • Stay connected to the work environment • Stay on regular work schedule • Creates a sense of security and stability • Avoids dependence on a disability system • Increase employee retention • Increase likelihood of a successful return to work • Improved productivity and morale of employees • Reduced claims costs • Lessened risk of employees going on long-term disability • Minimize WorkSafeBC premiums (via better Experience Rating)

  7. Debunking GRTW myths… • Return-to-work programs are only for those who have been injured at work. • An employee can’t start a return-to-work program until their WorkSafeBC claim is approved. • There is no such thing as “light duties” for care staff. • There’s nothing we can have the person do, they’re too injured, they can’t do anything until they’re 100%. • If they come back, they’re going to disqualify themselves for disability benefits. • Coworkers think that other staff on graduated return to work programs are slackers. • Modified work continues forever (it never ends)

  8. How to Modify Duties: How to Modify/How to Help Employee Recover • Remove worker from position entirely. • Assign a helper for the full or part of their shift. • Provide appropriate equipment & tools: e.g. chairs, telescopic dusting wands, carts, wheelchair, etc. • Give breaks often: For example, one 5 min break every 30 min or 2-3 min micro-breaks as needed. • Move between several different time-assigned tasks throughout the shift: • E.g. dusting for 15 min, 24/7 training for 30 min, taking food temperatures for 15 min, filling condiments for 20 min, etc. • Assist worker with getting to and from work if medically supported; usually for lower body injuries.

  9. RTW: Keys to Success • For a successful RTW program, you need to: • Establish supportive workplace policies and climate, including: • Communication strategies • Physical environment • Ensure communication and cooperation between the: • Workers • Healthcare professionals • Union representatives (or worker representatives)

  10. RTW: Keys to Success Con’t • For a successful RTW program, you need to: • Provide offers of modified work • Implement or provide educational programs for managers/ supervisors • Conduct on-going evaluations of the program

  11. Roles of key stakeholders Q. How do these stakeholders contribute to a successful RTW program? • Employers and supervisors • Workers • Co-workers • Union representative (or worker representative) • Health care provider • WorkSafeBC • External Disability Management Organizations (if applicable) Q: in your current RTW program, which stakeholders are you not engaging, or could engage more?

  12. Reflection Recover at Work at your organization or care site: • What does your organization/care site have in place to support a RTW program? • What aspects are working well? • What aspects need improvement or might be missing?

  13. Summary • RTW program enables employees to return to work (or recover at work) safely and effectively. • Using best practices around RTW saves $$ and improve workplace culture. • The keys to success for a program include: • Having a culture that creates a supportive work environment • Effective communication between stakeholders, and cooperation between labour-management • Offering modified work • Ensuring managers, supervisors are trained in policies and procedures • Evaluating your program

  14. Designing & Implementing an Effective RTW Program • By the end of this session, you will: • Understand the roadmap associated with a return-to-work (RTW) or recover-at-work program, including the roles of various stakeholders in each step. • Identify strategies to streamline your care site/organization’s program, and understanding different implementation approaches to increase the effectiveness of a care site/organizations’ programs. • Be familiar with and have access to practical tools and resources to help reinvigorate your care site/organization’s program.

  15. RTW roadmap • See handout provided

  16. When an injury occurs – First steps • Think about your care site or organization: • Who do staff go to when someone is injured at work? • Who provides first aid? • What is the next step after worker receives first aid? • What links are there from this process to safety management systems? (hint: think prevention). • What role does WorkSafeBC have at this point?

  17. When an injury occurs – First steps • Discussion Question: • What are some examples of how your care site/ organization demonstrates asupportive culturewhen injuries first occur?

  18. When an injury occurs – First steps • Why report an injury early? • Investigate and correct the underlying cause for the injury • Early identification of an issue means an injury can be treated more effectively and successfully. • May make the difference between a time-loss claim and no time-loss claim (health care-only)

  19. When an injury occurs – First steps Take away Message: Wherever possible, begin a conversation with the worker to let them know about the possibility of modified duties, and encourage them to stay at work!

  20. When an injury occurs – More medical aid required • Think about your care site or organization: • What happens at your site if someone needs to see their health care provider, and how long does it typically take? • What info do you as the employer communicate to the healthcare provider? • What customized follow-up schedule (that you and the worker agree on) do you have? • How is information communicated to the staff member during this process?

  21. When an injury occurs – More medical aid required • Take Away Messages: • Staff member’s healthcare provider is an important member of the RTW team. • Provide RTW package to injured staff member which includes: • Letter to the healthcare provider • Healthcare provider RTW planning form • Letter to the staff member • Anything else? • Establish follow up meeting time with staff member & involve the staff member in the RTW planning process.

  22. When an injury occurs – Offer suitable modified duties • Think about a particular case where you modified the duties for an injured worker: • What modified duties did you have them do? • How do you identify them? • Who was involved in the conversation? • How would you describe the culture around modified duties at your care site?

  23. When an injury occurs – Offer suitable modified duties Benefit of Modified Duties: • Decrease the length and cost of the claim. • Increase the likelihood that an injured staff member will successfully recover from the injury. • More likely to result in a successful return* (*when developed with input from injured worker & union/worker representative)

  24. When an injury occurs - Staff who are on modified duties / monitoring progress Take Away Messages: • Supervisors and coworkers support injured staff in their modified duties. • Educate staff about care site/ organization’s policy on Recover at Work. • Appreciate the injured staff member’s contributions to the care site/ organization while they are on modified duties and check in regularly. • Engage the injured staff member as an equal partner in the process.

  25. What happens if…? • Think about a specific modified duty case at your organization that didn’t go smoothly… • How would you address this problem in the future?

  26. Summary • An effective RTW program involves elements of leadership, culture, proactive planning, and collaboration. • Effective programs have clear processes that are strategically -communicated. • Effective programs are a team effort.

  27. Conclusion • Thank-you • & • Questions?

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