RETURN TO WORK INITIATIVE
MODULE ONE
MOTIVATION
A work-related injury or illness can have a big impact on your life. Research has shown that getting back to
work is important for your health and the earlier you start planning to return to work, the better your chances
are of making a successful return. You may not have to wait until you are 100 per cent recovered to return to
work. Whether it is on reduced hours in your regular job, or on modified or alternative duties, getting back to
work is part of your rehabilitation.
It’s important to try to keep positive and motivated: focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t. Talk
to your treating health practitioner and rehab consultant about the kind of work and activities that will best help
your recovery.
Returning to work is a team effort, and communication between everyone involved in your return to work is
essential. By working together, solutions can be found.
Tips on Motivation:
Focus on what you can do, rather than what you cannot.
Talk to your Treating Practitioners regarding what you can do to remain active for both your physical and
emotional well-being.
Make a commitment with yourself, big or small: simply tell yourself something along the line of “when I
complete my applications today, I can take a walk to the park & enjoy time with my children”.
Remember your success: write down your previous successes, whether work related or not, and refer to
this when you are feeling low in motivation.
If you are away from your workplace & colleagues, keep in touch and actively source ways to remain
connected (i.e. newsletters, casual gatherings).
Take the positivity challenge: train yourself to think more positively and learn to let go of negative thoughts
before they have a chance to take hold. We can’t all be positive all of the time, however if we improve on
our positive thinking, the results often follow.
Be open to alternative options. Don’t think about your previous job as the only option.
POSITIVE THINKING
We are mindful that locating new employment can have a significant impact on your life, and we have engaged
you in this initiative to assist and support you with your search.
Positive Thinking and Positive Self-Talk does not mean that you ignore your injury or that you are not
experiencing an unfortunate situation, but rather that you approach the unfortunate situation in a more positive
and productive way: meaning you see the glass Half-Full, not Half-Empty.
Research suggests that adopting Positive Thinking is beneficial for physical & emotional health, reducing rates
of low mood or depression and improving coping skills during times of stress. Understanding the difference
between ‘Unhelpful Belief’ and ‘Helpful Beliefs’ will assist you to adopt this change.
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Unhelpful Beliefs Helpful Beliefs
An unhelpful belief is a way of thinking A helpful belief is a way of thinking that is
that is negative and limits or restrains us positive and optimistic, seeking out
What is it?
in some way. It can inhibit us from trying positives or opportunities in an event or
or achieving. situation.
“Everyday companies are advertising new job
Example “There are not jobs out there for me”
opportunities; I know I can find them”
“I have an opportunity to gain a job which I am
“I’ll never earn what I used to in my previous
Example interested in that will help me be financially
role”
independent”
“I am one step closer to finding the right
“I keep finding companies that say they are
Example employer for me and will use feedback to help
not interested in me”
me get a new role”
Beliefs can determine how you feel about yourself, how you feel about others, and how you feel about the
events and circumstances of your life. Understanding how unhelpful beliefs influence your feelings is
fundamental because they often hide what is available to you.
Activity
Please take a moment to identify 2 unhelpful beliefs below and then attempt to expand it into a helpful belief.
Unhelpful Belief Helpful Belief
1. What did you enjoy/like about work?
2. What are some of the things you miss about being employed?
3. What are the potential consequences if you don’t upgrade/return to work?
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PERSONAL VISION – GOAL SETTING – TO BE COMPLETED
Re-Engage Users- Go to - Campaign Step 1- Personal Values
One of the few true global statements that can be made about people and work is that we would rather have
job satisfaction than not. This applies across all cultures, organisations, and job types. The reason this is true
is the link between motivation and satisfaction. If we feel motivated, we have a greater chance of experiencing
job satisfaction.
Our personal values change over time so what a person values at 18 is probably very different to what they
value at 40 and 60. Being motivated has a number of components and one of the most important is a match
between personal values and values required of the job. This exercise provides you with an opportunity to
update your understanding of your personal values at this stage of your life.
Activity
Prioritise the top three items that most closely represent the values to your career, with the first value selected
being the highest priority
Example An employer that is understanding
1St Choice
2nd Choice
3rd Choice
People generally work for one, or a combination, of three reasons which one do you relate to most:
Reason 1: The need for money to do the things outside of work that you enjoy
Reason 2: The enjoyment of the work itself..."I like doing the actual tasks required of the job"
Reason 3: The enjoyment of the feeling of accomplishment experienced after the work is finished, i.e., when
the product is developed, project is completed, etc. -- the outcome is the end goal.
(Re-engage User- Return to Campaign Step 1- Personal Vision)
The next step in the process is to develop your Career Vision Statement. Write your vision statement below:
Now that you have put your vision into words, you need to make it a reality. Consider the vision a starting point.
Without it, it is difficult to make much progress, but by itself it is not enough and would be difficult to sustain
you each day. The way to sustain this is to break the vision down by setting goals.
SMART goals will provide those results. SMART Goals are detailed goals that have specific criteria to help
you in the goal setting process. SMART goals ensure that you are working effectively towards your goals, and
that you have a clear plan in mind. You can use SMART goals for both your long and short-term goals. By
taking some time to fill in the details of the goals you want to achieve, you will save yourself time and have
more success in the process.
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Step 1. Specific
To be specific means that an observable action, behaviour or
achievement is described which is also linked to a rate, number,
percentage or frequency. “Answer the phone quickly” can be said to be
a precise prescription of behaviour, you can clearly see whether
someone answers the phone or not, but there is no rate, number,
percentage or frequency linked to it. A better example of being specific
is, “Answer the phone within 3 rings”, as rate has been added and
behaviour is now much more specific.
Step 2. Measurable
Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the
attainment of each goal set. When progress is measured, individuals
stay on track, reach target dates, and experience the exhilaration of
achievement that spurs them on to continued effort required to reach
and complete the goal. Good goals have target dates – Set time limits
and define start and stop dates.
Step 3. Achievable
When your identity goals that are most important to you, you begin
to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the
attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You
begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself
closer to the achievement of your goals.
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Step 4. Relevant
Realistic is not a synonym for “easy” -It means “do-able”. To be
realistic, a goal must be based on what you are willing and able to
accomplish – you are the only one who can decide just how high the
standards and hard the goal should be. The learning curve should
not be vertical stope, but neither should it be horizontal – set goals
that you can attain with some effort, but not too difficult that you set
the stage for failure.
Step 5. Time-Oriented
A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame
tied to it there is no sense of urgency. If you don’t set a time, the
commitment is too vague. Putting an end point on your goal gives
you a clearer target to work towards. Be sure though that you time
frames are attainable and realistic. Make sure you have enough time
to achieve the goal and if other resources of individuals are required
or affect the accomplishment of the goal, ensure appropriate
timelines have been considered.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN S.M.A.R.T. GOAL
‘By August this year, I will have applied for ten receptionist role advertisements and completed an Advanced
Computer Skills Course to demonstrate recent evidence of my competency in this area’
GET SUPPORT
In terms of return to work goal setting, it is important to remember that setting goals can aid in motivation by
allowing you to see progress you are making and how you overcome difficulties. Goal setting should be holistic,
and we want you to adapt these new skills to set gaols in all aspects of your life, not just return to work.
Pinnacle Rehab would like to collaborate with you to develop a Return to Work, Health & Job-Seeking Plan
that is specific to you and what you want to achieve. If you have already completed commitments with your
insurer, then please write them below so we can assist you in working to achieve them. If not, please provide
your input as to short-term and long-term goals that are meaningful to you. These goals can relate to work,
family, recreation, personal development and/or treatment.
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RETURN TO WORK INITIATIVE
ACTIVITY
Please outline at least 1 return to work goal, 1 return to health goal, and 1 social goal, the timeframe to achieve
this, and your commitment to activities that will lead to this goal being successfully achieved.
GOAL 1: WORK
Goal 1: Work
Timeframe to Achieve:
Commitment:
Commitment:
Pinnacle Rehab can assist me in achieving this goal by:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
GOAL 2: HEALTH
Goal 2: Health
Timeframe to Achieve:
Commitment:
Commitment:
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Pinnacle Rehab can assist me in achieving this goal by:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
GOAL 3: SOCIAL
Goal 3: Social
Timeframe to Achieve:
Commitment:
Commitment:
Pinnacle Rehab can assist me in achieving this goal by:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Worker signature ____________________________________________
RC/CC signature ____________________________________________
Date____________________
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