Injury And Mental Health: Rethinking Workplace Support Strategies

A new era of workplace care

Americans are experiencing increasing problems with mental health, and it’s affecting the workplace. The U.S. surgeon general issued new guidance for employers on how to deal with this emerging epidemic. The Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health and Well-Being in the Workplace encourages organizations to “rethink how they protect workers from harm, foster a sense of connection among workers, show workers that they matter, make space for their lives outside work, and support their growth.”

Employees are especially likely to face mental health challenges when they are vulnerable, for example, if they have been injured on the job. Workplace accidents and illnesses have increased in recent years as a result of many factors: significant employee turnover and new hires coming into jobs as trainees; dangers and conflicts in the workplace that can cause physical injury and trauma; occupationally related illnesses; and aging employees who may be more prone to injury.

Here are six recommendations for employers to provide support to their employees, especially those who may have been injured:

1. Make Compassionate Leadership Your Primary Management Philosophy

Compassionate leadership supports employees by prioritizing empathy, making them feel heard, and taking proactive steps to address their needs. Research has shown compassionate leadership leads to better team collaboration, greater employee loyalty to the company, and lower turnover rates.

2. Provide Immediate Intervention for an Injury

If an employee is injured, the importance of early intervention cannot be understated. A 24/7 nurse triage hotline enables trained nurses to determine an immediate course of action, whether the employee must be treated at the ER or on-site using a first aid kit. This immediate attention communicates the employer’s concern for each individual’s well-being.

3. Offer Remote Care

Virtual care services are critical in engaging the employee and keeping treatment on track. One of the few benefits that came out of the pandemic was the increase in the availability of telehealth services, not just for remote physician visits but for virtual behavioral health services as well. Providing virtual behavioral health services can help ease the stigma that many feel is associated with visiting a therapist and allow employees to see qualified therapists in the privacy of their homes.

4. Provide Advocates

A concierge-style approach to treatment for the injury helps to dispel fear, build trust, and keep recovery moving in the right direction. The system should rely on streamlined and proactive communication, making sure all team members, including the patient, are connected using virtual care, telemedicine, text, and e-mail communications and coordinating any appointments to ensure that they are kept and that the next steps are always moving forward. Case managers and provider teams are then actively involved in making sure that employees have access to care, that clinical decisions are made quickly, and that the injured worker has a compassionate voice and advocate.

5. Pay Attention to How Chronic Pain Is Treated

Chronic pain makes employees especially vulnerable. It is often treated with drugs like opioids, which can lead to addiction, chronic depression, and disability. These dangers can be prevented by ensuring the pharmacy program for injured workers tracks each patient’s utilization and assigns risk flags and equivalency scores. This oversight allows nurse case managers to identify warning signs that may require interventions, including reaching out to the attending physician, who can then step in and identify an alternate course of treatment.

6. Select the Right Providers for Care and Therapy

The providers' capabilities in treating both physical injuries and behavioral health are critically important. The best outcomes are achieved by putting the patient first — listening to their needs and advocating for the care they require. Providers selected to care for your employees should take a holistic approach aimed at healing the whole person, not just the injury, and recognize that social, psychological, and biological factors affect each person’s health and recovery. They should demonstrate the ability to engage with patients in setting goals for therapy and return to work.

The entire care team must be attuned to recognize and address any barriers that might interfere with a rapid recovery, looking into situations such as: does the patient have the transportation needed to obtain care? Do they have the educational and language abilities to understand medication regimens and other aspects of their treatment plan? Do they have mental health needs?

Supporting workers with heightened sensitivity and streamlined, coordinated services when injured and most vulnerable will help these valuable employees recover quickly, avoid or treat mental health issues affecting their recovery, and improve employee morale.

Sarah Scott is the Vice President of Network Services at CorVel Corporation.