peta odgers - comcare - keynote address: creating a tailored approach when working with injured...

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1 Tailoring the Way We Work with Injured Workers 15 th National Workers’ Compensation Summit 2014 February 2014

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Dr Peta Odgers, Director: Research, Scheme Performance Group, Comcare presented this at the National Workers' Compensation Summit 2014. The Summit focused on minimising workplace injury claims through establishing a successful safety culture and embrace working towards successful outcomes should a workers compensation claim arise. Find out more at http://www.informa.com.au/nwc14

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Page 1: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

1

Tailoring the Way

We Work with

Injured Workers

15th National Workers’ Compensation Summit 2014

February 2014

Page 2: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

2

Purpose

• To share some of the insights from Comcare’s research program

• To outline two of the key drivers associated with successful

recovery and RTW

• Resilience and

• Trust in Employer

• To explore four types of injured workers

• To talk about how we might be able to make a difference

Page 3: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

3

Comcare Research Program

• Comcare’s research program was established to

• support informed decision making

• provide new insights, and

• contribute to the national research agenda

• Comcare’s research program with injured workers consists of both

• quantitative and

• qualitative data collection strategies.

• Responses have been collected from:

• over 3,700 injured and unwell workers through the Injured

Worker Survey, and

• over 50 injured and unwell workers and 6 employers through

our qualitative research program.

Quantitative research tells us how many people do or think a particular way, while Quantitative research provides us with an insight into why people do what they do.

It’s a Fact

Quantitative research provides an invaluable insight into why people do what they do.

Don’t Forget

Page 4: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

4

Factors Influencing RTW

Personal Situation

Expectations of the

Organisation

Relationship with the

Organisation

Individual Characteristics

Demographics

Life stage

Career stage

Experience

Tenure

Equality

Fairness

Safety

Support, and

A bully-free environment

The relative stability of the

organisation

How the worker fits into

the organisation

The worker’s motivation to

get back to work, and

The length of time away

Resilience

Empowerment

Self-esteem

Page 5: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

5

Relationship with Employer

• Stability of the organisation

• Employee Fit

• Length of time off work

• Good employer relationships help to build

• Confidence

• Loyalty

• Trust

Page 6: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

6

Resilience

• Resilience is usually something which refers to someone’s ability:

• to “bounce back” or recover from stress,

• to adapt to stressful circumstances,

• to not become ill despite significant adversity, and

• to function above the norm in spite of stress or hardship.

(Smith et al., 2008)

Resilience could play a key role in influencing an individual’s recovery from a workplace injury or illness.

Here’s an Idea

The Injured Worker Survey included the Brief Resilience Scale – a validated measure designed to assess individual resilience.

It’s a Fact

Resilience can be influenced

both positively and negatively

Page 7: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

7

Resilience Comes From …

• Some of the factors associated with resilience include:

• Supportive relationships

• Ability to make realistic plans and carry them out

• A positive view of self and confidence in one’s own strengths

and abilities

• Communication and problem solving skills, and

• Ability to manage strong feelings and impulses.

• All of these are important for recovery and RTW How do we build resilience in injured workers with the aim of assisting their recovery and return to work?

Point to Ponder

Page 8: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

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Claimant Typologies

High Resilience

Low Resilience

Low

Tru

st

Hig

h T

rust

Defensive & Entitled

Strivers

Victims Temporarily

Floored

Page 9: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

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Strivers

“Go with the flow”… get on with their job and not complain.

Resilient… and able to adapt well to change

Cope… when challenged with illness or injury through work

Flexible… do what they can to adapt and manage the

situation to the best of their ability.

General Description

Empowered… maintain control over recovery journey

Trust… the organisation will play a role in recovery

Pragmatic… in their approach

Communicate constructively… with all key parties

Experienced… tend to be in more senior roles

Achievers/“Over-achievers”… sense of pride, very driven

Supported… strong support networks

Key Characteristics

Ideal group… for successful RTW

Still vulnerable… can transition towards other less constructive

groups depending on the process experience

E.g. if handled poorly by the organisation, potential to fracture

the level of trust sending them towards ‘Defensive and Entitled’

typology.

Potential Transitions

“The system is there to get you going while you’re healing – its

not meant to be a crutch”

Page 10: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

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Temporarily Floored

Everyday resilience… cope well with everyday situations,

Anchored… strong relationship with organisation & colleagues

Easily destabilised… coping skills are lower than Strivers –

especially with unexpected situations

Holistic… focus on recovery and RTW in combination – need to

make sure they “stop and take a breath” before RTW

Worriers… concerned that issues will be ongoing

General Description

Less empowered … than ‘Strivers’

Seek support… trust the organisation, looking for guidance

Responsible… accept all requirements of them

Self-protecting… want to RTW, but worry about the conditions

Middle management… or admin roles, mid-career or close to

retirement

Key Characteristics

Potential… positive organisational management at all stages

can empower and shift them to ‘Striver’ territory.

Concern… poor management can lead to break down in trust -

danger of a shift into ‘Victim’ typology.

Potential Transitions

“You feel helpless, frustrated, and lonely - sometimes you just have

to rely on everyone”

Page 11: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

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Victims

Dependent… generally more reliance on support

Disempowered… if anything goes wrong – it is everyone else's

fault and out of their control, they have lower resilience levels

Incapacitated… when things go wrong

Validation seeking… become reliant on the advice of those who

sympathise with their problems

Defeated… don’t believe they will RTW or that they will recover

General Description

More often associated with mental illness

Mistrust… noticeable lack of trust in the organisation

Dethatched… don’t appear to want to be involved in recovery

Institutionalised… even agoraphobic

Lower skilled… lower ranked position, less responsibility

Poor support… weaker social networks

Key Characteristics

Challenging… to shift into more positive typologies

Organisation can transition them to “Temporarily Floored” with

significant understanding, sympathy, flexibility

Potential Transitions

“I don’t believe I will ever work again”

Page 12: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

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Defensive and Entitled

Strong minded… stick up for themselves

Protective… work within boundaries, look after themselves &

recovery first

Assertive… quick to learn about entitlements

Cautious… won’t RTW until they feel completely ready

Resilient… in their approach towards return to health over return

to work

General Description

Personally empowered… to look after themselves – appear in

control

Cynical… low level of trust in the organisation

Self-determined… recover is on their terms – well versed in

rights and responsibilities

Reactive… may put up barriers easily – appear less cooperative

Key Characteristics

Potential clash… with organisation can detract from sense of

empowerment – shifting to “Victim” typology

Potential to shift… to “Striver” if organisation works alongside

them, but harder to move them

Potential Transitions

“I said point blank that it would be a graduated return”

Page 13: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

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Claimant Typologies

High Resilience

Low Resilience

Low

Tru

st

Hig

h T

rust

Defensive & Entitled

Strivers

Victims Temporarily

Floored

Page 14: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

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Keys to Success

Understanding Corporate Culture

Transparency Foster Value

Page 15: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

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Remember this …

• Resilience comes from …:

• Supportive relationships

• Ability to make realistic plans and carry them out

• A positive view of self and confidence in one’s own strengths

and abilities

• Communication and problem solving skills, and

• Ability to manage strong feelings and impulses.

Page 16: Peta Odgers - Comcare - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Creating a tailored approach when working with injured workers

For more information please contact:

The Comcare Research Team

[email protected]

Thank you!

Dr Peta Odgers

Director Research, Comcare

[email protected]