KINNECT proud to be a signatory of The Health Benefits of Good Work initiative

KINNECT is a proud signatory of The Health Benefits of Good Work (HBGW) initiative from the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM) of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). Together with the AFOEM and other signatories, we wish to promote the compelling evidence that good work is beneficial for health and well-being. At KINNECT, we focus largely on the benefits of a recovery at work approach and understand the negative impact that long-term work absence has on individuals, families and communities. We are honoured to be advancing the HBGW philosophy and partnering with the AFOEM to do so.

What is Good Work?

According to the AFOEM consensus statement:

“Good work is engaging, fair, respectful and balances job demands, autonomy and job security. Good work accepts the importance of culture and traditional beliefs. It is characterised by safe and healthy work practices and it strikes a balance between the interest of individuals, employers and society. It requires effective change management, clear and realistic performance indicators, matches the work to the individual and uses transparent productivity metrics.”

All workplaces should strive to be both healthy and safe

At KINNECT, we are committed to making people at work healthy, safe and productive through our variety of occupational health services. From pre-employment to injury prevention and management, we act as a one stop shop for our clients and their employees. A core part of our business is to facilitate an early, planned and safe return to work after an injury, whether physical or psychological. We believe this is an important step in maintaining employee health and wellbeing, a fact that is backed by evidence from the AFOEM.

Studies show that the longer an employee remains off work, the less chance they have of returning. Without a return to work plan, or what we now refer to as a “recover at work plan” an employee may experience depression, poor health and isolation. An early and safe recovery at work assists in recovery and provides employees with social cohesion and support mechanisms imperative for their mental well-being.

Recover at work plans and suitable duties

Returning to work after a physical injury, psychological injury or redundancy can be stressful and intimidating. Employees might worry that the injury could flare up at any time or that they may not have the skills required for re-employment. They may be self-conscious about their absence from the workplace for a period of time and be unsure of the effect this has had on the team, or their place within it.

By offering suitable duties and implementing a recovery at work plan, individuals will feel supported and at ease with the process of returning to work. KINNECT develops recovery at

work plans in consultation with the worker, the employer, general practitioner and other treating parties. With everybody on the same page, a clear definition can be formulated on how the employee will progress towards a safe return to work.

If full duties are not immediately achievable, suitable duties can be used as a pathway to recovery. Suitable duties are a selection of meaningful duties the injured employee can accomplish in their current state. Return to work and suitable duties plans are important as they thoroughly explain to both parties not only the process but also consider any precautionary restrictions that may apply to returning to work. They also outline what’s expected from both the employee and employer for a clear path forward.

Our injury management services are delivered by experienced Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, Psychologists and Rehabilitation Counsellors.

Our pledge

By becoming a signatory of the HBGW initiative, we acknowledge the following fundamental principles:

• The provision of good work is a key determinant of the health and wellbeing of employees, their families and broader society
• Long term work absence, work disability and unemployment may have a negative impact on health and well being
• Providing access to good work is an effective means of reducing poverty and social exclusion
• With active assistance, many of those who have the potential to work, but are not currently working, can be enabled to access the benefits of good work
• Safe and healthy work practices, understanding and accommodating cultural and social beliefs, a healthy workplace culture, effective and equitable injury management programs and positive relationships within workplaces are key determinants of individual health, wellbeing, engagement and productivity
• Good outcomes are more likely when individuals understand and are supported to access the benefits of good work especially when entering the workforce for the first time, seeking re-employment or recovering at work following a period of injury or illness.

Our range of services all assist in promoting good work and can be viewed at www.kinnect.com.au/our-services.

References

1. Health Benefits of Good Work: https://www.racp.edu.au/advocacy/division-faculty-and-chapter-priorities/faculty-of-occupational-environmental-medicine/health-benefits-of-good-work
2. Health Benefits of Good Work Consensus Statement: https://www.racp.edu.au/docs/default-source/advocacy-library/afoem-realising-the-health-benefits-of-work-consensus-statement.pdf?sfvrsn=baab321a_14