The Return to Work Coordinator: More Than a Compliance Requirement
Written by Elisa Luck
Under South Australia’s Return to Work Act 2014, employers who meet the prescribed threshold are required to appoint a Return to Work Coordinator. For many businesses, this can understandably be viewed as another compliance obligation.
But in my experience, the role has the potential to be so much more than that.
A skilled Return to Work Coordinator can become the critical link between the injured worker, the workplace, the claims agent and the treating doctor. When that coordination is done well, it can make a genuine difference to a person’s recovery and their ability to remain at, or safely return to, work.
The value of having someone who knows the workplace. One of the greatest advantages a Return to Work Coordinator brings is knowledge of the workplace.
A treating doctor understands their patient’s injury, treatment and medical capacity. What they don’t necessarily know is what happens inside the workplace.
What does the employee’s role actually involve? Which tasks are physically or psychologically demanding? What alternative duties are available? Can hours, responsibilities or work locations be temporarily adjusted? What support can the leadership team realistically provide?
This is where a good Return to Work Coordinator adds enormous value.
I provide Return to Work Coordinator support on behalf of businesses, working alongside leadership, claims agents, workers and treating practitioners to help connect those pieces.
Rather than simply receiving a medical certificate and trying to interpret what it means operationally, I can speak with the treating doctor about the workplace, explain the employee’s role and discuss the duties and adjustments that may be available.
It turns the conversation from “What can’t this person do?” into “What can they safely do, and how can we support that?”
When a treating doctor sees the value
There is very little I find more rewarding in this work than having a treating doctor genuinely appreciate the value of the Return to Work Coordinator role.
When you can have a constructive conversation with a doctor about their patient’s recovery, explain the workplace and the duties available, and give them confidence that their patient will be supported at work, you can see the difference good coordination makes.
The doctor isn’t being asked to understand a workplace they have never seen. The employer isn’t left trying to interpret medical information without context. The claims agent has someone actively coordinating the workplace response. And, most importantly, the worker has people communicating around them with a shared focus on recovery and a safe, sustainable return to work.
That is what this role should be about.
You don’t have to do it alone
Having a Return to Work Coordinator may be a legislative requirement for certain employers, but that doesn’t mean the business has to navigate every aspect of the role without specialist support. Engaging an external Return to Work specialist can provide additional experience, independence and practical support when managing workplace injuries.
It can also give leaders confidence that someone is actively coordinating the process, communicating with the claims agent, engaging appropriately with treating practitioners, understanding the workplace, identifying suitable duties and keeping recovery and return to work moving forward.
Done well, Return to Work coordination is an opportunity to bring the right people together, remove barriers to recovery and help someone successfully reconnect with work.
If your business would benefit from experienced support with Return to Work coordination, workplace injury management or working with claims agents and treating practitioners, contact us on 0432 486 115 or at capture@captureculture.com.au to discuss how we can support your business and your people.
