The power of partnerships in return to work (RTW) should not be underestimated, regular communication is vital to effective injury management.

The return to work coordinator (RTWC) should be talking to the injured worker, the doctor, senior management, supervisors, co-workers and claims staff, but should also facilitate and encourage communication flow between these stakeholders.  A simple return to work case for example, may be best served by the majority of the communication happening between the supervisor and the employee. A more complex case may require the rtw coordinator to have a higher level of communication with the doctor, a senior manager or co-workers in coming up with a suitable rtw plan.

In some situations promoting open collaborative communication is easier said than done. Perhaps the doctor appears unreachable or uncooperative, the supervisor / employee relationship may be strained, or the turnover of claims managers may disrupt the continuity of assistance.

If you are a return to work coordinator in this position and you've already tried talking until you're blue in the face, maybe you should stop talking, and start listening. Improving clarity of expression can be useful, however, learning how to listen actively and responsively may give you the clues you need to pull all stakeholders together on the same page.

Active listening techniques are easy to learn and there are many articles and guides in Return to Work Matters to help you perfect the art.

Active listening helps the speaker feel understood, defensiveness is then reduced and rapport established. Building rapport and trust can mean that frank and honest conversations take place and barriers to communication between other parties may be identified. Perhaps beliefs, fears or expectations are getting in the way. This is where the problem-solving skills of a RTWC come into play and barriers can be dealt with.

It's also helpful to teach supervisors active listening techniques so that initial miscommunications or incorrect beliefs can be avoided.

Many of our readers report doctors as difficult to communicate with. Return to Work Matters includes content on dealing with busy MD's. We do it every day and our insights into developing partnerships with doctors is invaluable.

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