RTW expectations predict recovery from musculoskeletal injury. Workplace supports, trust and the actions of healthcare providers all shape RTW expectations, according to NZ workers

Work that offers few learning opportunities, low co-worker and supervisor support, high emotional demands and high-work family interference is strongly linked to long-term, mental-health related...

Interventions for work-related MSDs should not be based merely on addressing the symptoms, but must also focus in managing the physical and psychosocial risk factors behind the injury.

There is a strong link between work quality and mental health, and some workers are slugged by multiple psychosocial negatives, according to new Canadian / Australian research.

A sense of being able to give is linked to less stress and depression at work.

We share results from the 2021 Return to Work Matters Case Management Survey, completed by more than 60 insurance case managers, RTW Coordinators and rehabilitation professionals.

Supervisors need to recognise that workers who feel socially devalued at work suffer health and wellbeing consequences, according to experts who conducted a massive review of the available research.

A single pain management skills session is as effective at reducing pain catastrophising for people with chronic low back pain as eight sessions of CBT.

Some prevention strategies go the distance, reducing long term sickness absence even five years post-intervention. Others have short term benefits only. Does mental health complicate effectiveness?

Shifting to remote work during lockdown doesn’t necessarily derail health. However, workers may be suffering ill-effects across the board and those who were already remote pre-pandemic may do...

The severity of overexertion injuries in construction rises with age, while the frequency of different types of musculoskeletal disorders shift. All age groups could benefit from preventative...

For sedentary office workers, gamification steps up activity but nudges (e.g. signs) in the workplace fail to maintain the gains.

For people with chronic whiplash-related disorders, RTW is a difficult process, with alternating progress and setbacks. Support at work, and better planning around treatment both help.

The negative health consequences of high physical work demands depend on age, with workers aged 60 plus facing twice the risk of long term work absence compared to younger workers performing...

Occupational Therapists (OTs) say people returning to work after cancer are likely to face physical, emotional and cognitive challenges. Optimism, combined with a realistic view of the probable...

Workers with healthy lifestyles have less sick leave and higher work ability than those who smoke, eat poorly, exercise little and are overweight.

Might more ZZZs or less fatigue help workers with pain from musculoskeletal disorders recover workability?

Clinical treatment combined with workplace changes is the most promising approach for improving RTW for people with depression, but improved healthcare offers benefits too.

Canadian researchers explore organisational perspectives on talking about episodic disability at work.

Neck X-rays show that changes to the cervical spine are common, and become more common and more pronounced with age. Like wrinkles or grey hair, however, normal spinal aging hasn't been tied to...

It's a tough job with few supports, and far too little research into health and wellbeing outcomes. What do we know about 000 stress, and positive steps that might ease it?

More Australian research supports the link between mental health struggles amongst workers' compensation claimants and perceptions that the system is unfair - and suggests that unfairness around...

Multi-component vocational rehabilitation programs that intervene early and improve coordination between workers, family members, employers and health care service providers yield better outcomes...

A promising new digital care program that monitors exercise and offers personal health coaching and peer support has successfully engaged people with chronic MSD pain, achieving impressive...

Treaters and RTW professionals who want to promote safe and timely RTW amongst people with PTSD should pay particular attention to threat appraisals – i.e. whether symptoms and / or the workplace...

Psychiatric nurses who report the most mental health symptoms see more barriers to seeking help than those whose mental health is good. How can organisations better support recovery?

Nine takeaways from US research comparing the perspectives of claims leaders to those on the front line.

Metabolic syndrome compromises health and work, but a personalised exercise intervention helps VW workers leave these problems in the dust...

Danish researchers conclude that ergonomics training can cause confusion and stress, while supportive supervisors make it easier for workers to stay at work with a sore back.

What does the international evidence say about the impact of compensation systems, health care systems and significant others on workability for people with lower back pain?

International research says workplace interventions work best when they tick multiple boxes: focusing on health, service coordination AND work modification.

How does pre-existing workplace social support impact return to work after injury? Do supervisor and co-worker responses to injury have an impact on the duration of work absence?

New evidence strengthens link between job strain and common mental health disorders, with researchers arguing low control may be more damaging than high demands.

In this 5 minute guide, we give you the dot-point version of research into psychosocial risks and MSDs

Before your organisation invests in supervisor training, ask whether the organisational culture reinforces or contradicts the lessons you think supervisors need to learn.

Research seeking answers turned up more questions instead...

Employment outcomes are better for PTSD veterans when individual skills, abilities and preferences are taking into account.

Is there such a thing as too much early intervention for workers with lower back injuries?

Top ten considerations that underlie decisions about the timing of RTW.

Compensation systems idealise families, expecting too much family support for injured workers while offering too little in return

Patients feel less acute, post-surgical pain when they take part in a psychological intervention (e.g. CBT).

Training makes managers more confident in their communication skills and more likely to get in touch with workers who have a psychological injury, but no more knowledgeable about mental ill-health.

What do people with chronic disease value about work? What motivates them to keep working and what makes them want to stay at home instead?

Mental health capabilities, culture, policies and procedures are lacking compared to leadership and workplace connectedness, according to Superfriend.

Workers see the benefits of good workplace mental health but think business and government need to take action, according to Superfriend

Supervisors describe mental health-related work absences as unpredictable and worrisome. How might supervisor anxiety affect RTW outcomes?

Experienced supervisors list ten ways they understand and support injured workers

Injury has a big impact on home life. Does home life (especially caring for dependent children) impact RTW in turn?

Claims are going down but costs are going up. Has safety improved? We dig into the data on trends in Australian workers comp.

Supervisors say that balancing competing demands is an integral part of supporting RTW

The latest in Australian workers compensation data: we summarise claims numbers by gender, profession, industry, body part and type of injury or illness.

What competencies do supervisors think they need to manage the impact of RTW on teams and coworkers?

Supervising RTW can be challenging, both emotionally and professionally. What supports are available? What self-care approaches work best?

Return to work processes are designed to help injured workers recover on the job but co-workers can suffer collateral damage. How can we limit the fallout?

Five things that make or break co-worker support for modified duties during the early days of return to work.

Australian Return to Work Coordinators complain about the quality and relevance of the training they receive. How can we do better?

What personality traits and experiences make people more likely to cope with adversity such as disability?

What aspects of RTW planning are the most important, according to supervisors and rehabilitation professionals? Not the bells and whistles but the basics.

What kinds of communication skills do supervisors need to support injured workers?

In order to support RTW, supervisors must understand injury management systems and processes. But ticking the boxes is not their most important role...

Rehabilitation professionals see the personal qualities of supervisors (e.g. honesty, fairness and diplomacy) as vital RTW offerings. Is emotional intelligence key?

Honesty, respect for privacy, job knowledge and tough love all make the list of supervisor skills that promote return to work, as rated by rehabilitation professionals. What tops it?

Integration, obligation, domination, avoidance and compromise are all valid ways to manage conflict. The trick is knowing which tactic to use when, and why...

The main question addressed by the review was: What are the interactions between injured workers, healthcare providers and insurance personnel in workers compensation systems.