Employee experiences with early return to work programs

Those who administer early return to work programs should be aware of the differing needs of workers who have suffered on the job injuries. Many employees are able to move through a program without problems; others are at risk for poor outcomes. Those workers most in need of assistance should an on the job injury occur are those who have relatively poor satisfaction in the job in which injury occurred, a longer period of disability due to injury, aggravation of injury while on the early return to work program, or perceptions of little support from within the company. Particular attention to certain aspects of programs (identification of workers at risk for poor outcome, design of modified jobs, and communication of concern for workers) may enhance favorable response to early return to work programs.