Role of a Return to Work Coordinator Course
Facilitate a Smooth Return to Work Transition with a WorkSafe-Certified RTW Coordinator in Victoria
Returning to work following a long-term or life-altering injury is an important part of rehabilitation. Therefore, businesses in Victoria need to ensure that they meet all the essential occupational rehabilitation and compensation obligations to avoid fines and potential prosecution.
Fortunately, this is where Return to Work Coordinators come in to offer the skills and competencies needed to enable a seamless transition for returning employees. Their core purpose is to help businesses reacclimatise returning employees to their workspace and responsibilities (continuous or revised).
However, understanding the role of a Return to Work Coordinator mandates extensive training in most cases. In Australia, most aspiring RTW professionals opt for WorkSafe’s certified and Workers’ Compensation Regulator-approved RRTWC course. With this recommended (but not compulsory) training, these professionals can:
1. Better Understand the Obligatory Duties of an RTW Coordinator and the Return to Work Processes
An experienced Return to Work Coordinator needs to be the liaison connecting returning employees and management. More importantly, they need to be well-versed with the RTW process, which typically includes:
- First aid/medical treatment
- Incident reporting
- Post-injury communication
- Rehabilitation assessment
- Appropriate transitional work or role assignment (if permissible)
2. Ensure Compliance with Regulations
Return-to-Work Coordinators must ensure the organisation they work for complies with provincial and legislated workplace injury rehabilitation and compensation regulations to avoid penalties, lawsuits, or prosecution. They must aim to devise a return strategy that meets the standard of a worksafe return to work inspector review.
3. Manage Stakeholders
Another important role of an RTW coordinator is to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the management and returning employees to maintain the workflow and minimise conflict. They’re responsible for finding the right balance in terms of productivity and minimising/eliminating friction that arises from limitations caused by physical and / or mental injuries.
Return to Work PLUS’ 2-Day RRTWC Training
Return to Work PLUS’ 2-Day RRTWC training is a concise, streamlined microlearning course that covers all the basics of establishing and implementing return to work plans for compliance and employee satisfaction.
Learning Outcomes
Tennille has strategically broken down the training into 2-days to improve the learning outcomes:
Day 1
By the end of day one, participants would be able to:
- Explain the importance of returning to work.
- Prepare employees to return to the workplace.
- Easily recall the key responsibilities of an RTW coordinator, including the key skills and competencies required to excel in this role.
- Explain your employer’s RTW obligations to staff, provide personalised consultation to injured workers, and centralise communication among all injury management stakeholders.
- Understand and leverage different ways to support and facilitate returning employees.
Day 2
Similarly, by the end of day two, participants would be able to:
- Provide better and continuous support to injured workers using different strategies, techniques, and solutions.
- Respond to workplace injuries faster and take the necessary measures to prevent further treatment (provide first aid, call an ambulance, follow up support, etc.)
- Explain the roles of external parties (doctors, Agents, ORP’s, etc.) in return to work and create a solid communication plan for each.
- List several publications and resources related to RTW processes, employer roles, and risk mitigation solutions.
Who Should Attend and Why?
This WorkSafe-certified training program is generally aimed at business owners, managers, and supervisors already involved in the RTW process. However, anyone aspiring to become an RTW coordinator can also participate in the training to understand the ins and outs of this field.
At the same time, they can keep pace with the latest legislation and industry standards. At the very least, they can refresh their skills and knowledge with new insights, trends, and solutions.
Tennille Gould, the facilitator of the RRTWC 2-Day Training Program, said:
“We understand the vital role RTW professionals play in ensuring a seamless return-to-work transition and making the workplace safer for all employees. However, no one can deny that this job can be overwhelmingly complex and challenging sometimes. And getting it wrong can lead to legal, financial, and productivity repercussions. Not to mention, it can have adverse effects on injured workers. Therefore, this 2-day training program is designed to get participants up to speed with the basics and help increase their RTW skills for better outcomes.”
Moreover, Return to Work PLUS has strong relationships with several industry bodies in Victoria. Therefore, we execute this training program to cater to businesses and professionals from different domains, niches, and work environments. They can reap several benefits, such as:
- Productivity enhancement to save time and focus on other core business aspects.
- Cost savings on recruitment and onboarding due to time saved in training new staff with health and safety protocols.
- Better resource utilisation
- Improved return-to-work outcomes and time frames for injured workers, resulting in reduced compensation premiums
- Faster incident notification through continuous end-to-end support
- Compliance with the latest regulatory requirements to avoid penalties and fines
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 2-Day RRTWC training is generally offered online. However, an exception can be made for businesses in Victoria subject to scheduling. So, get in touch with Tennille on 0402 984 459 for more information related to this.
Our 2-Day training program is typically offered to aspiring/experienced RTW coordinators, HR managers, payroll officers, business owners, and OH&S professionals. However, anyone with a keen interest in this field or similar work experience can enrol.
Training is delivered via Zoom with the login details and training content/material provided through the participant’s email address. Check out our upcoming sessions in 2022 and enrol right away.
Training dates and delivery options can also be tailored to businesses wanting to enrol five or more people at one time. Contact RTW Plus to discuss an option that suits you.
Yes, our 2-Day RRTWC training course has been accreditated by WorkSafe Victoria. Hence, you can rest assured that it provides quality insights, strategies, tools, and resources RTW professionals can use to improve their performance. You will be issues with a Worksafe Certificate of Completion following the two days of training.
Apart from our 2-Day training program, new and small business owners or employers can opt for RTW consulting to learn about regulations, penalties, and industry standards. Tennille is also an accreditated Occupational Rehabilitation Provider (ORP). So, you can opt for her ORP, OES, NES, and vocational counselling services via Beneficiant Pty Ltd.
Get In Touch
So, whether you’re an aspiring RTW coordinator seeking additional training or an experienced coordinator looking to brush your skills and learn new strategies, Return to Work PLUS’ 2-Day RRTWC Training by Tennille Gould has got you covered.
Get in touch with us by calling 0402 984 459 or send an email to tennille@returntoworkplus.com.au for more details and get started right away!