Promoting Early, Safe Return to Work in Injured Employees: A Randomized Trial of a Supervisor Training Intervention in a Healthcare Setting

Abstract

Purpose Supervisors in the healthcare sector have the potential to contribute to disability prevention in injured employees. Published data on the evaluation of return to work (RTW) interventions aimed at direct supervisors are scarce. We sought to determine the effect of a brief audiovisual supervisor training module on supervisor RTW attitudes and knowledge. Methods A parallel-group study, using equal randomization, comparing the training module intervention to usual practice in healthcare supervisors at a quaternary care hospital was conducted. Differences between groups in changes in RTW attitude and knowledge survey question scores between baseline and 3 months were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The Benjamini-Hochberg-Yekutieli procedure was used to control for false discovery rate and generate adjusted p values. Results Forty supervisors were allocated to the intervention group and 41 to the usual practice group. Attitude and knowledge scores for most questions improved between baseline and immediately after intervention administration. Comparing intervention (n = 33) and usual practice groups (n = 37), there was a trend toward greater increase between baseline and 3 months follow-up in agreement that the supervisor can manage the RTW process (U = 515, adjusted p value = 0.074) and in confidence that the supervisor can answer employees' questions (U = 514, adjusted p value = 0.074) in the intervention group, although these findings were not statistically significant. Conclusions The training intervention may have provided the initial tools for supervisors to navigate the RTW process in collaboration with others in the RTW community of practice. A larger study with longer follow-up is needed to confirm results.

Workplace improvements to support safe and sustained return to work: Suggestions from a survey of workers with permanent impairments

“…There are promising interventions for modifiable workplace factors such as job strain, safety climate, and social support. For example, supervisor training programs can improve safety climate and confidence managing successful RTW 50,51 . Further, systematic reviews have documented that interventions designed to promote workplace social support, job control, and job demands can positively impact absenteeism, productivity, and financial outcomes 52,53 .…”

Pain, musculoskeletal injuries, and return to work.

“…More transformative and considerate leadership styles and better knowledge of organizational policies are correlated with stronger supervisor accommodation efforts (Kristman et al, 2017). Interactive and peer-based training programs designed to improve supervisor responses to injuries and disabilities have shown promise in reducing injury rates and lost workdays (Schreuder et al, 2013;Spector & Reul, 2017).…”