5 things every manager needs to do when a worker is injured

Most small and medium businesses don't think much about return to work until someone actually gets hurt. Then it gets stressful fast.

Under Victorian law, you have legal obligations to support an injured worker's recovery and return - and how you handle the first 48 hours can determine whether a claim is straightforward or drags on for months. This is your plain-English guide to getting it right.

---

Step 1: Report and document the injury immediately

As soon as an injury occurs, document what happened - date, time, location, what the worker was doing, and any witnesses. Notify your WorkCover insurer (your agent) within 48 hours of becoming aware of the injury. Don't wait until you've "figured out" if it's serious. Late reporting creates problems and can affect the claim.

Practical tip: Keep an injury register on site. Even minor incidents that don't become claims should be recorded - they create a baseline if something escalates later.

---

Step 2: Appoint a return to work coordinator

Under the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (Vic), employers with 30 or more employees must appoint a return to work coordinator. Even if you're under that threshold, having a designated person makes the whole process smoother.

This person is the main point of contact for the injured worker, the insurer, and treating health practitioners - so choose someone who's approachable, not just available.

Practical tip: Your RTW coordinator doesn't need to be HR. A trusted operations manager or team leader can do this - as long as they've completed the WorkSafe-endorsed two-day training course. Find approved providers at worksafe.vic.gov.au.

---

Step 3: Stay in contact - don't go quiet

This is the step most managers get wrong. Once an employee is off work, it feels awkward to call. So no one does.

But WorkSafe research consistently shows that regular, genuine contact from the employer is one of the strongest predictors of a successful return to work. You're not checking up on them - you're letting them know they're still part of the team.

Practical tip: A brief call or text once a week is enough. Don't discuss the claim or pressure them about timelines. Just check in like a human being.

---

Step 4: Develop a return to work plan with suitable duties

Once you have a certificate of capacity from the treating doctor, work with the worker and your RTW coordinator to develop a return to work plan. This plan outlines suitable duties - tasks the worker can safely perform given their restrictions.

It doesn't have to be their normal role. Suitable duties could mean modified tasks, reduced hours, a different area of the business, or even working from home where relevant.

Practical tip: Involve the worker in designing their suitable duties. People return faster and stay longer when they feel ownership over the plan - not like it's something being done to them.

---

Step 5: Monitor progress and adjust the plan

A return to work plan isn't set-and-forget. As the worker's capacity improves, duties should gradually increase. If something isn't working - physically or interpersonally - the plan needs to be updated.

Keep records of all conversations, reviews, and adjustments. If you're not sure what a treating practitioner's certificate means for the worker's capacity, ask your WorkCover agent. That's what they're there for.

Practical tip: Schedule a formal review of the RTW plan at two weeks, then monthly. Put it in the diary - it's easy for this to fall through the cracks when the business is busy.

---

The businesses that manage WorkCover well aren't the ones that never have claims. They're the ones that respond quickly, communicate genuinely, and treat the process as part of looking after their people - not as a compliance exercise to get through.

---

Need help setting up your RTW process? Flex HR can build you a simple, compliant return to work framework - without the complexity.