Articles

This page lists all practical and feature articles available on RTWMatters. From top ten tips, how to guides and case studies, through to webinar recordings and video interviews with industry experts.

Click the ‘Topics’ button below to drill down into all articles and research updates on your topic of interest.

Click the ‘Quick Guides’ button for practical bit sized guides that give you a sound basic knowledge base.

Demystifying emotional intelligence

contributorCelia Prosser

EI and its practical application for RTW outcomes

Communicating with doctors: the finer points

contributorTom Barton

Dr Robyn Horsley explains the issues when communicating with a treating doctor.

You say it best when you say nothing at all: Effective listening

contributorScott Sanderson

Have you ever been told you are a poor listener? Maybe you have, but you weren't paying...

Partner support

contributorElizabeth Quinn

This case study looks at how involving and supporting the partner of an injured worker assists...

White collar, blue collar

contributorGabrielle Lis

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

Worksite wonders

contributorGabrielle Lis

Visiting injured workers at home and at work is an integral part of the Scenic Rim Regional...

Retaining a top team

contributorAntonia George

How prepared are you for the fight to retain your best talent? Staff retention systems that...

Caring for carers

contributorElizabeth Quinn

Twelve tips for carers, to help them cope with the challenges of caring for a sick or injured...

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...

Styles of communication

contributorGabrielle Lis

Passive. Aggressive. Assertive. How does your professional communication style affect your...

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...

Trust: Dos and Don'ts

contributorGabrielle Lis

You know organisational trust has tangible benefits. Now for the hard yards: how can you foster...

Train for success

contributorSuperDoc

Workers expect more from supervisors than supervisors are prepared to give - but training can...

Suspicious Minds

contributorGabrielle Lis

Tips for supervisors who have their doubts about a worker's injury or compensation claim.

Bullying in Australian workplaces: Q&A

contributorGabrielle Lis

Bullying is bad for workplace health and bad for RTW. How widespread is it, and how does it...

RTW relationship hurdles 2: Doctors and employers

contributorGabrielle Lis

Hurdling with a briefcase is tough, so why not dismantle RTW relationship barriers before they...

RTW relationship hurdles 1: Doctors and employers

contributorGabrielle Lis

Part One - What are the barriers to good doctor / employer relationships?

How to recognise if you're "in the zone" at work

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

Missing the zing in your step? Here's some help to refresh at work and steps to getting in the...

Conflict Cookie #4: Making the most of conflict

contributorGabrielle Lis

Conflict driving you crazy? Use it to drive innovation...

Conflict Cookie #1: What kinds of conflict happen in the workplace?

contributorGabrielle Lis

Remember how your mum taught you to turn lemons into lemonade? In this series of bite-sized...

Top ten tips for dealing with the Doc

contributorGabrielle Lis and Dr Mary Wyatt

Is "bad medicine" delaying RTW at your organisation? This top ten will help sweeten your...

Top ten tips for super smooth supervising of RTW

contributorGabrielle Lis

Supervising return to work ain't easy...unless you've read our latest top ten!

How one company turned 13 workers' compensation claims into two

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

Seventy work-sites to manage, different styles of management, a tough work culture,...

Too much talking? No such thing!

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

Communication between GPs and occupational health professionals.

Bridging the generation and gender gap

contributorSarah Duffield

Young female rehabilitation consultant + middle aged male worker: the most fraught relationship...

Quality control in RTW: Spend less, achieve more

contributorFrederieke Schaafsma

In the case of Mr S, a well managed return to work system saves an employer $$ and provides good...

Burned by poor RTW management

contributorFrederieke Schaafsma

A badly managed case of staff burnout highlights the importance of an integrated approach to...

Catastrophic injuries

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

What are 'catastrophic injuries'? Why it is important to manage them well in the workplace, and...

Working with quadriplegia TWO: physical challenges need flexible management

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

Mario was set to become a surgeon before an accident left him with quadriplegia. Management...

Working with quadriplegia ONE: what motivates return to employment

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

What helped Mario return to work after a car accident left him with quadriplegia?

Do you yawn enough to be a good RTW professional?

contributorRobert Hughes

Researchers find that contagious yawning indicates empathy.