Quiz

Workplace Systems Evaluation Quiz

Please answer a few questions about your employer:

     

Thank you. Your results have been emailed to your inbox.

Sub sections Your score Score range
RTW management 3-12
Workplace RTW competencies 4-16
Workplace culture 2-8
Workplace systems to support RTW 4-16
Safety 1-4

 

In the table below, we look at your sub scores and make recommendations about what you can do to improve your workplace injury management systems as well as links for further exploration of the topic. Refer to the table at the end of the report for detailed information on scoring.

Score Recommendations
RTW management
3-6 ()

Your system needs changing.

The most important aspect of return to work management is getting support to the employee as early as possible.

If you are not getting in early, on the first day, preferably in the first hour after the injury, RTW outcomes drop.

Many bosses think pushing injured employees back to work is the way to go. That might work with some people, but in the big picture it’s counter-productive.

See the following links:
Guide to injury reporting systems
Getting the team onside

7-9 ()

The most important elements of case management are getting in early and giving employees the support that they need. You have some elements in place, but opportunities for improvement exist.

Early reporting is vital. An employee needs to report an injury as soon as possible and the system must provide initial support to the injured employee as soon as the injury is reported. When staff feel supported, they reciprocate. Trust goes both ways.

See the following links:
Guide to injury reporting systems
Getting the team onside

10-12 ()

You have the key elements of case management in place: getting in early and supporting employees. Great work!

Workplace RTW competencies
4-8 ()

Good return to work results come from a whole organisation approach.

It’s time to have a frank look at why your team is not engaged.

Does your boss understand how vital adequate RTW reporting and support are and where the failure points in the system are? What do you need to do to promote engagement with the system?

The next step is to look at getting line managers involved. You’ll need senior managers on board first.

Without line managers supporting return to work you are doomed to chase your tail.

A return to work coordinator’s job is not easy. It requires the skills of a negotiator, time management abilities of a project administrator and the patience of Job. Are you or is your coordinator the right person for the job?

See the following links:
RTW coordinator competencies
RTW Coordinators
Case managing injury, illness and RTW
Team Building...literally

9-12 ()

Good return to work results come from a whole organisation approach. A return to work coordinator who is focused and caring gets let down when supervisors and senior managers are not engaged.

A return to work coordinator’s job is not easy. It requires the skills of a negotiator, time management skills of a project administrator, and often the patience of Job.

It’s time to look at how you can get your team engaged.

See the following links:
RTW coordinator competencies
RTW Coordinators
Case managing injury, illness and RTW
Team Building...literally

13-16 ()

Good return to work results come from a whole organisation approach. Great work for getting the team on board, from line managers to senior managers to a talented return to work coordinator, and having everyone work together as a team.

Workplace Culture
2-3 ()

If work is a hostile place to be, why would people want to be there?

Workplaces with a negative culture get poor return to work results. It’s not rocket science, but your boss might need this spelt out in simple terms. A good workplace isn’t about giving, giving, giving; it’s about give-and-take.

See the following links:
Cultural revolution
Social capital: is it what we’re missing?
Good, better, best
They’re the voice, try and understand it
Employee engagement vs. employee enragement

4-6 ()

If work is a hostile place to be, why would people want to be there?

Workplaces with a negative culture get poorer return to work results. It’s not rocket science, but your boss might need this spelt out in simple terms. A good workplace isn’t about giving, giving, giving; it’s about give-and-take.

What can you do to improve? Return to work is a subset of the overall organisation’s approach. Arm yourself with information about the costs involved and where you can save on costs. Make the time to see your boss and start this important conversation.

See the following links:
Cultural revolution
Social capital: is it what we’re missing?
Good, better, best
They’re the voice, try and understand it
Employee engagement vs. employee enragement

7-8 ()

When work is a comfortable place to be, people are more likely to want to work there. Great to see you are out to provide support to your staff. When you look after their well-being, they are more likely to look after yours and the well-being of the business.

Workplace systems to support RTW
4-8 ()

Not having good systems results in poorer return to work results. And, it makes the whole exercise of return to work more time-consuming and dysfunctional.

Participatory ergonomics gets the employee and supervisor working together. Having policies and procedures in place ensures that people know what is expected of them. If you don’t understand the costs, it’s much harder to influence senior managers and get the team on board. As they say: you can’t manage what you don’t measure and understand.

See the following links:
Policies & procedures
Assessing the current RTW system
Injury, disability and lost time patterns
Understanding, calculating and using costs
Plan, implement, review
Using ergonomics to achieve the best outcomes

9-12 ()

Managing return to work is a tough grind when you don’t have a system in place to underpin the process.

Policies and procedures let people know what is expected. When they don’t know, things go astray. You are then in patch up mode.

Participatory ergonomics gets the employee and supervisor working together to adjust the work area, and talking to each other.

Understanding the costs, and being able to evaluate your system is vital in getting senior managers on board. If you are not measuring, evaluating and communicating, you are losing out on your team’s support

You’ve got some of your systems in place. Have a look at these areas to make life easier and achieve better outcomes.

See the following links:
Policies & procedures
Assessing the current RTW system
Injury, disability and lost time patterns
Understanding, calculating and using costs
Plan, implement, review
Using ergonomics to achieve the best outcomes

13-16 ()

Your workplace systems underpinning return to work are strong.

Participatory ergonomics has two benefits: workplace adjustments to a workstation are done early, and it gets the supervisor and employee talking and working together.

Your understanding of costs, ability to evaluate your systems, and then communicate these issues provides a foundation that a team can work on together and build upon.

Your policies and procedures allow employees to understand what is expected of them, and when they have this understanding they are more likely to comply.

Safety
1 ()

What can we say: it’s not just that you’re likely to have injuries, you’re telling your staff you don’t care. Remember the Golden Rule, and the team is more likely to respond in kind.

See:
Injury prevention and safety programs

2-3 ()

Managing safety is important to prevent injuries. But it also sends a message to your workplace. If employees don’t believe their well-being is important, they’re not likely to look after the workplace. Discretionary effort goes both ways.

See:
Injury prevention and safety programs

4 ()

Great work, excellent safety systems and attitudes not only reduce injuries, they send a strong message to your staff. Caring for employee well-being pays off in many areas, including return to work results.

 

The scores of the following questions are added to achieve the subscore   If the sub-score is, the responses will be as in the section below.
Questions 1+5+9 RTW management 3-6 7-9 10-12
Questions 3+7+10+13 Workplace RTW competencies 4-8 9-12 13-16
Questions 2+11 Workplace culture 2-5 4-6 7-8
Questions 6+8+12+14 Workplace systems to support RTW 4-8 9-12 13-16
Question 4 Safety 1 2-3 4