The following materials aim to assist supervisors:
- to support an employees’ recovery and promote a timely, safe and sustainable return to work,
- to have effective conversations with employees around recovery, return to work and the employee’s needs, and
- to better understand the recovery and return to work process and the supports available in the workplace.
There are five key steps in the return to work journey covered by these materials. You can use them in order, or download them all to use as you need them. For each step there is an email template which can be edited and sent to managers with the links to materials inserted. All of the email templates can be accessed here. Also, the video provides an overview and can be sent to supervisors when an employee first goes on leave. The five steps are:
- Step 1: Early contact - when the employee goes on leave (Docx download. Pdf download)
- Step 2: Stay in touch – two weeks after step 1 (Docx download. Pdf download)
- Step 3: Plan their return – one week before return (Docx download. Pdf download)
- Step 4: First week back – upon return (Docx download. Pdf download)
- Step 5: First three months – one month after return, then every month for two more months (note this step is just an email and calendar invites) (Docx download. Pdf download)
These resources target return to work arrangements in the Australian Public Service sector, but may also be useful to support supervisors in other sectors (including large employers) as the resources can be tailored to the organisation’s existing case management approach. These resources were initially developed as part of a project by the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA), published in 2020, on Returning to work after illness or injury. In 2022 they were revised based on feedback provided by Comcare. The updated materials recognise the supervisor role is critical to supporting employee recovery and return to work.