ContactWhen an injury or illness happens at work, the chance of poor health and return to work outcomes is significantly higher than if the injury or illness is not work-related. Being out of work long term is associated with poorer physical and psychological health, and this is more likely for people receiving workers compensation.
The WorkCover Board Tasmania initiated the Improving Injury Outcomes in the Tasmanian State Service (TSS) Project to better understand the experiences of TSS workers who had been injured, and to identify opportunities for improving the workers compensation process.
This project gathered lived experience from interviews with TSS workers involved in workers compensation, reviewed best-practice literature, and held workshops with TSS agencies and unions.
The findings and recommendations from the project aim to address barriers, reduce risks, enhance organisational performance, and improve the experience and outcomes for workers with injuries. While the project focused on the TSS, many of these insights apply to supporting workers in any setting.
The findings of this project align directly with the experiences of workers with injuries in the TSS and current best-practice literature, offering a genuine opportunity for change.
Key learnings
Here is what we heard about people’s experience with workers compensation:
- We feel like a number, not a person: Workers described feeling dehumanised and treated as cases to process, rather than as individuals with unique needs and circumstances.
- We struggle to understand complex information: The volume of complex language and unclear processes left workers confused and overwhelmed, especially during stressful periods following an injury.
- We feel stigmatised: Workers reported feeling judged or blamed for their injuries, with stigma often exacerbating their challenges in navigating the system.
- We experience delays and lack of communication: Delayed responses, unacknowledged submissions and inconsistent updates created uncertainty and frustration.
- We need clear guidance and support: Workers often felt unsupported when trying to understand their rights and responsibilities or the next steps in the process.
- We feel isolated during the claims process: Limited personal contact and lack of human connection contributed to feelings of isolation, fear and vulnerability.
- We face challenges in returning to work: Workers highlighted the lack of flexibility, unclear pathways and insufficient preparation for re-entering the workplace.
- We need tailored support for mental health injuries: The absence of specialised processes or tailored communication for mental health claims left some workers feeling neglected or misunderstood.
- We experience a lack of empathy and understanding: Workers often encountered cold or dismissive interactions, which compounded the emotional and psychological toll of their injuries.
- We need consistency in case management: Repeatedly explaining their situation to new people triggered additional stress and hindered recovery.
Some practical strategies that can help
Clear communication and accessible information
- Use flowcharts and simple guides to make processes easy to understand.
- Establish early personal contact to provide reassurance and guidance.
- Communicate consistently with clear, empathetic language to avoid confusion and stigma.
- Offer regular updates to reduce uncertainty and foster trust.
Empathy and person-centred support
- Tailor communication and individual worker needs and preferences (such as email, text, phone calls).
- Assign a dedicated case manager to provide consistent guidance.
- Train case managers and supervisors in empathy and person-centred approaches.
- Involve workers in decision making, empowering them throughout their recovery journey.
Proactive return to work strategies
- Develop flexible return pathways, including part-time or alternative roles.
- Trial creative options like volunteering or external placements to support reintegration.
- Maintain connection between the worker and the workplace to prevent isolation.
- Take a holistic approach to assess and address physical, emotional and social impacts and barriers to returning to work.
Building organisational capability
- Train managers and supervisors to understand the workers compensation process and to develop skills in empathetic communication.
- Foster a culture that values worker wellbeing and not just compliance.
- Implement effective case management systems to streamline processes and minimise errors.
- Use feedback mechanisms to continually refine and improve support strategies.
Take an ‘It Pays to Care’ approach
By adopting a person-centred approach to workers compensation, workplaces can create supportive and efficient systems that promote recovery, reduce costs and improve worker outcomes.
The ‘It Pays to Care’ model is leading the way in Australia to promote fair and efficient workers compensation schemes. This covers:
- leadership: Policymakers promote positive psychosocial influences at all levels
- collaboration: There is integration and collaboration between healthcare, workplace support and case management
- fairness: Workers perceive they have been dealt with fairly
- health of workers is the priority: Treatment is evidence-based; workers have access to appropriate, timely, high-quality care; and self-management is fostered
- active and responsive management of individual cases: Case management is procedurally fair, timely, proactive and supportive
- effective communication: Case management systems are underpinned by positive communication between stakeholders improve RTW outcomes and reduce costs
- long-term thinking: Long-term approaches foster skill and career development and a cycle of continuous improvement.
What the WorkCover Board Tasmania is planning next
The Board has accepted all recommendations from the project and funded a project to implement the findings. This will require collaboration between WorkSafe Tasmania, the TSS agencies, worker representatives and workers.
The Board and some TSS agencies have already begun implementing some recommendations, while other recommendations require medium-longer term implementation.