Free Knowledge Base Articles

RTWMatters is Australia’s leading independent resource for return to work professionals.

Dr Mary Wyatt and RTWMatters are committed to sharing information that can make a meaningful difference to RTW experiences and outcomes. We rely on subscriptions to continue our work, but we also understand that some people have difficulty convincing their employers to provide access. In response to this feedback, we’ve decided to make approximately 1 in 7 articles free and create a small best practice knowledge base that is available to everyone.

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Listed below are our Free Articles. Click the ‘Free Research Articles’ button to visit our Free Research Summaries and Updates.

Price for patients of no-cost compensation

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Should workers' comp recipients share treatment costs with their employers?

Patient advocacy and workers' comp

contributorGabrielle Lis

Workers' comp cases present GPs and other health professionals with opportunities for meaningful...

Moving backwards on backs

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

The messages of a $6 million public health campaign about back pain are being lost thanks to...

Suicide and work injury

contributorTom Barton

New Australian research shows that workers with psychological injuries are not the only ones who...

Driving change

contributorTom Barton

How one car manufacturer steered their ageing workforce towards higher productivity

Stress and emotional resilience

contributorGabrielle Lis and Tom Barton

Ever wondered what RTW and sabre-toothed tigers have in common? Or why some people bounce back...

How trustworthy is trust?

contributorRTWMatters team

Trust is a key predictor of organisational success, says the Great Places to Work Institute....

Jokes, bullying and RTW

contributorLara Forth

Lara felt bullied by her case manager and colleagues when she returned to work - even when they...

Flagging the obstacle course of bad outcomes

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

From the hot tubs of New Zealand to the bread and butter of a RTW Coordinator's work.

Are worker's comp boards serving return to work?

contributorTom Barton

And can you pick the Australian jurisdiction in which board members have NO hands-on experience...

Harmonisation housekeeping

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Our advice for legislators? Don't rearrange the lounge suite while there is mildew growing up...

The Principles Underlying RTW - Draft 2

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Is it 'compensation' or 'rehabilitation'?

Not working is bad for the heart and the head. There's proof.

contributorRobert Hughes

UK research evidence shows that risk of death for workless people is 20% higher.

Are you happy with your working relationships?

contributorRobert Hughes

Workers' Comp has a high staff turnaround, so a working relationship still great after 11 years...

Can Australia afford to lose $57.5 billion a year through work-related illness and injury?

contributorRobert Hughes

What role do compensation authorities play in helping people back to work?

Patient styles, distress, and what they get

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

How patients communicate has an important influence on the treatment they receive.

What creates positive workplace culture?

contributorRobert Hughes

When we look at the reader statistics for Return To Work Matters it is obvious that Workplace...

SuperDoc (3) - On the importance of listening - and saying no.

contributorSuperDoc

Super Doc gives a super-spiel about the importance of listening - and saying no

What's it all about?

contributorRobert Hughes

The what and why of Return To Work Matters

Case Study: Cool, calm and in control

contributorStefanie Garber

A worker's confidence and approach to self-management can make the difference between a...

Calculating absenteeism costs

contributorGabrielle Lis

Calculating the costs of absenteeism will help you make the case for better injury management...

Managing disaster compensation

contributorGabrielle Lis

Richard Green, injury and claims manager with the CFA after Black Saturday, knows what to expect...

White collar, blue collar

contributorGabrielle Lis

Are you a RTW professional daunted by the prospect of working with a predominantly blue collar...

Surviving Recovery

contributorElizabeth Quinn

Elizabeth draws on personal experience in this Users Guide To Maintaining a Positive Attitude on...

Webinar: Back Pain and Return to Work

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Back pain accounts for a large proportion of injury claims, and a higher proportion of long term...

Teaching WorkCover claimants to sell themselves

contributorElizabeth Quinn

In pain, low in confidence, and down at heart: it can be a hard slog to get back into the...

Asking assertively

contributorGabrielle Lis

Know what you want from people at work, but not how to get it? Learn how to talk the talk, and...

Managers VS workers

contributorGabrielle Lis

Hang on! Isn't RTW supposed to be all about the love? We count down ten ways to improve tetchy...

Sunny side up

contributorRTWMatters team

What is optimism? How is it good for health? When is it wise, in professional life, to get your...

Breathing easy

contributorTom Barton

Asthma is the leading chronic disease in Australia. This briefing paper covers the basics, as...

Let's get loud

contributorGabrielle Lis

Taking ages to recover and return to regular duties after a workers' compensation claim? Make...

Q&A CONFIDENTIALITY

contributorGabrielle Lis

Shh! The low-down on confidentiality, return to work and workers' comp.

8 tips for a great relationship - working with the claims manager

contributorTom Barton

We respond to a Return to Work Coordinator's query about resolving problems between employers...

Dealing with the victim mentality

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

In response to a reader's questions, our resident Occ Phys explains how to encourage a proactive...

Common causes of workplace pain

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

Understanding musculoskeletal pain will increase productivity and health.

More than medical

contributorGabrielle Lis

Some people have a harder time managing their injury and returning to work than others. Are...

Strategic implementation Q&A

contributorGabrielle Lis

How to take the long view and get where you want to go, faster.

Quick Guide: Self efficacy

contributorGabrielle Lis

Not every injured or ill worker has the "I think I can" attitude of the Little Engine That...

Disability management pegged: Part 1

contributorGabrielle Lis

You don't have to hang anybody out to dry to get your systems pegged. Instead, make plans and...