University of Queensland researcher Dr Venerina Johnston has been awarded a grant to research the skills and behaviours needed by supervisors to help workers return to work after injury or illness.
The grant is part of the Australia-wide $400,000 Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research (ISCRR) 2012 Development Grants Program.
Dr Johnston, of UQ's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, will be supported by Ms Kirsten Way, Dr Mary Wyatt, and Dr Bill Shaw.
The project focuses on workers returning to work after a mental disorder or musculoskeletal injury.
“The results will provide the first evidence base to develop a training program for supervisors that is specific to the Australian setting,” Dr Johnston said.
“Despite many endeavours, return-to-work rates have not improved across Australia over the past five years.
“Supervisors play a pivotal role in the return-to-work process and yet the specific knowledge, skills and behaviours supervisors require to assist this process have never been identified in the Australian setting.
“This research and the subsequent development of a training program will result in long-term benefits in terms of preventing work disability and reducing compensation costs.”
ISCRR CEO Professor Niki Ellis said that the development grants funded projects with the potential to deliver tangible benefits in the short term to ISCRR’s partners, WorkSafe Victoria and the Transport Accident Commission.
“By supporting smaller scale projects conducted over 12 months, the grants provide an important opportunity for investigators to initiate research that they see will make a difference in a relatively short period of time,” Professor Ellis said.
