Talk about return to work before an injury occurs. 

Building a strong health and safety culture is essential for keeping employees protected and creating an environment where everyone feels valued. As an employer, you play a key role in not only preventing workplace incidents but also taking a proactive approach to actively educate and prepare teams on safe practices and return-to-work processes.

“It’s like first aid—you wouldn’t wait until after an injury happens to get the required training. You take the course, you prepare, get your first aid kit, and if something happens, you’re ready to go,” says Colleen Skinner, return-to-work specialist and nurse on the Return to Work Consultation and Education Services Team at WorkSafeBC.

“The same applies with workplace injuries. Educate your workers on what the processes are if they’re injured on the job and how to report a workplace injury or disease,” adds Colleen. And before an injury happens, “let them know you’ll be reaching out to see how they’re doing and talk about any work accommodations they might need. Teach them about their duty to cooperate and the resources available to support their return-to-work if they’re injured at work.”

By equipping workers with the knowledge and resources they need early on, companies can help prevent workplace incidents, minimize risks to workers, and ensure smoother transitions for anyone returning after an injury

“Prevention is really about being prepared and being proactive,” says Colleen.

Here are some tips on how you can create a healthy and safe workplace and some proactive ways to enhance your safety culture and support return-to-work:

1. Training and orientation. From the moment you hire an employee, talk to them about workplace hazards, how to prevent the most common kind of injuries in your workplace, and what to do if and when they should be injured at work. Effectively training and orienting your workers is key to helping them stay safe on the job. It’s also important that everyone understands their roles, rights, and responsibilities and that supervisors and team managers are equipped to answer any questions from their teams. Having resources available for front-line staff and incorporating return-to-work conversation from day one can help change the culture around disability.
2. Model the change. Employers should model the change they want to see in the workplace. Supervisors, mangers, and leaders all play an important role as their words, actions, and attitudes reflect the company’s values. While the duty to cooperate formulizes the obligation for workers and employers to communicate with each other throughout the return-to-work process, modelling frequent, collaborative, and respectful communication can go a long way in encouraging workers to cooperate.
3. Be prepared. Having a plan that you can implement immediately when someone is hurt on the job, can help support a positive return-to-work experience for employees. Create an action plan aligned with your company policies that outlines the processes workers and supervisors need to take when someone is injured on the job; and ensure workers, managers, and supervisors know where to find it. Developing a suitable work list for different roles and common injuries tailored to your workplace can also help with identifying and offering modified duties for a safe and timely return to work. Colleen also suggests inviting in local physiotherapists to help identify modified and alternative solutions for job demands.
4. Reinforce and remind. At your team huddles, in toolbox talks, at your monthly safety meetings, or even in casual conversations over morning coffee, talk about your return-to-work policies and other elements of your health and safety program. You could also hang posters around your workplace or add information to an internal newsletter. Ensuring all workers understand what to expect before incidents occur and where to report safety concerns or accidents, and how ask questions about return to work will ensure that everyone in the workplace feels engaged and more comfortable talking about return-to-work, before and after an injury.
5. Share success stories. We know that recovering while at work has incredible benefits for a worker’s physical and mental health, but this likely isn’t common knowledge for your team. Share return-to-work success stories with your workers to highlight the benefits of recovery at work—you can find some great examples at worksafebc.com —like this video profiling the City of Penticton.

Changing ‘the way we do things’

Creating a culture shift isn’t easy. But we all have a role to play in changing the perception of recovery at work and normalizing returning to the workplace after an injury. By having conversations, empowering workers with information, and communicating proactively, we can start to shift the stigmas and preconceived notions about working after an injury.

Learn more about your return-to-work responsibilities and requirements on the WorkSafeBC website:

• Return-to-work information for employers’ home page
• Duty to cooperate and duty to maintain employment employer’s home page
• Employer fact sheet: Duty to cooperate
• Employer fact sheet: Duty to maintain employment

For general questions related to return-to-work planning, consultation, and support, please contact the Return to Work Consultation and Education Services Support Line.

Stay tuned for more blog posts focusing on return-to-work and how recovering at work benefits everyone in the workplace. Learn more about how you can support your injured workers in their safe and timely return to work at worksafebc.com/returntowork.