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.

Coaching for chronic health

contributorAntonia George

When a health insurer offers support after a potentially life-threatening diagnosis, Antonia...

Reducing cancer in the workplace

contributorTom Barton

Implementing primary prevention policies can reduce your workers' risk of developing cancer.

The costs of cancer

contributorTom Barton

Cancer is the most widespread chronic disease in Australia. We look at 10 tips for supporting...

Separating stress and chronic pain

contributorTom Barton

Stress makes chronic pain worse, and worsens RTW outcomes. Here are 10 ideas to help alleviate...

Signs of suicide

contributorTom Barton

How to look out for and deal with signs of suicide in your workplace.

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...

What is process related injury?

contributorGabrielle Lis

Sometimes compensation systems, not injury, deliver the knock out blow. Don't let that happen to...

Three attitudes that WON'T help return to work

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

Not yet a RTW pro? A tip: avoid these three attitudes when dealing with an injured worker.

Come on get happy!

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

Want a better workplace? Get happier. Here are some pointers on how.

Want to be a back pain superhero?

contributorGabrielle Lis

This comprehensive guide to helping workers with back pain will have you donning lycra in no time...

Highway to hell?

contributorRosemary McKenzie-Ferguson and Gabrielle Lis

What's it like to enter the workers' comp system as an ill or injured worker?

Communicating with "The System"

contributorRosemary McKenzie-Ferguson and Gabrielle Lis

Workers struggle to listen and be heard. How does this affect them?

Trouble communicating? Stop talking: Listen!

contributorGabrielle Lis

A quick guide to the advantages and basic techniques of active listening.

To schmooze or not to schmooze?

contributorGabrielle Lis

There's no question about it, injured workers need special treatment. Employers, here are ten...

Q&A: The first five minutes

contributorGabrielle Lis

What happens in the first five minutes after injury affects health outcomes and costs. And your...

Let's get ethical, ethical

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

A code of ethics would have helped former return to work coordinator 'Layla' to educate injured...

KPI vs care - which is winning?

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

A process-driven acrimonious workers' compensation system is a dark place - let's shed some...

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,...

Complacency in return to work programs does not produce good outcomes

contributorSarah Duffield

An injured worker, with knee injuries and heart condition, is made redundant and has to deal...

The carpet-layer made good

contributorTheo Giantsos

'Chris' was a carpet layer who worked in a small suburban firm.

In body but not mind - presenteeism in the workplace

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

Sometimes employees need return to work assistance even while they're still physically in the...