Caring for Injured Workers’
Mental Health - Here’s What
You Should Do
When an employee gets injured on the job, their physical well-being isn’t the only thing that can be affected. In fact, their mental health is possibly at an even greater risk. Some common feelings that injured employees may experience include anxiety, helplessness, depression, and even PTSD. Dealing with the aftermath of a work-related injury can take a severe toll on a person’s well-being, and providing a holistic approach in support is vital. Here are some practical methods to assist injured workers in their recovery process.
Communication is Key: Proper communication is the foundation of an effective injury recovery plan. Keeping clear and regular channels of communication open will help support workers with their mental health. Employers need a system that allows employees to easily communicate with the HR department or their manager if they are experiencing any distress. The organization can quickly lend support, provide therapy, or connect employees with resources.
Train your Managers: Training managers to recognize and handle injury-related stress effectively supports your employees’ mental well-being. A manager better equipped to manage the team while employees are on leave can improve the injured worker’s mental health and boost their morale. It’s essential to teach managers how to communicate with distressed employees in a fair and empathic way. It also equips them with the tools to deal with mental health conditions within their teams efficiently.
Offer Support Services: Offering employee assistance programs or other support programs can assist your injured employee’s mental health needs during their recovery. Therapy support, follow-up psychological counseling, face-to-face or helpline services, and support groups are all great places to start. Offering these services at low cost (or even no cost) can help employees feel valued and cared about – vital for their healing – while off work.
Establish Return-To-Work Policies: Injured workers may worry about their future job security or compensation while recovering. It’s important to establish clear-cut and well-understood return-to-work policies that plan for the employee’s transition back to work. The policy should include understanding the employee’s physical or psychological state of being and how to ensure they ease into their day-to-day operational processes. It’s essential to keep communication open and honest during this process.
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