Don’t play the blame game. Whether the employee’s fault or not, the injury still happened on the job. All we can do is focus on providing the workers with all the resources they need to heal and feel cared for physically and mentally.  

Every worker is different. Their needs are different, and so is how they interpret, accept, and utilize support. 

Therefore, each employee requires a different approach.  

How do you know what is going to work best for the employee?  

Ask Them. People respond well to being included in the decision-making process.  

Stay positive. It’s so easy to label an injured worker wrongfully. How do you think that makes them feel? Foster a positive workplace culture where managers, leaders, and workers support an injured worker. Positive beliefs and attitudes can drastically improve outcomes. Make the workplace so enjoyable daily that workers want to return to work as soon as possible.  

Provide them with meaningful work. If you were injured, would you want to be stuck cleaning? Probably not. When we task a worker with meaningless work, their attitude changes. The employer's responsibility is to identify and provide suitable duties for the worker. A detailed Job Site Analysis or the job's physical demands can help the employer with those conversations and allow the employee to participate in some of their job duties around people they are familiar with. 

Encourage them to control the controllables during their recovery. This goes beyond asking how physical therapy is going and if they’re doing their exercises. Empower them to work and participate within their restrictions, not to do too much but not to use it as an excuse to do less. Reinforce the importance of sleep, hydration, and healthy eating habits. Influence those who surround themselves with to make sure they have adequate support during their recovery journey at home, too. Remind them that this is just a minor blip on a more extensive journey and better times are ahead. 

Remind them that they are not alone. Guide them to resources that are part of their benefits package, including the Employee Assistance Program and mental health resources, as appropriate. Helping employees manage their inner dialogue, feel supported, and maintain a positive outlook will go a long way. 

Make sure they are ready to return to work. Return-to-work testing is essential to prevent re-injury and set your employee up for success. It allows the worker to perform their job tasks in a safe and controlled environment before returning to full duty. This will enable us to address worker concerns, help them build confidence in their abilities, and retrain body mechanics and safe lifting practices.  

In summary, how we interact with and treat employees matters the most. A positive, supportive, collaborative environment decreases lost days, saves money, and improves company morale.