Is work good for you?

It may seem reasonable to assume that if you're injured at work you should take time off to recover, and that is the best option and will get you well sooner. But in actual fact, research tells us that getting back to work is a vital part of recovery, that 'good work' actually benefits your health and wellbeing in many ways. This is the same whether your injury or illness is physical or psychological.

Getting back to work doesn't mean going back to exactly what you were doing pre-injury. It can mean going back to your old job, working reduced hours, changes or adjustments to your duties, or going to a new job or role. Evidence shows that an early return to good work, if you are able, is proven to be far better for you than staying at home to recover.

So what does 'good work' mean?

‘Good work’ is work that provides you with positive health benefits - including physical, mental, and emotional. It aims to balance your needs with those of your employer and society in general to ensure good outcomes for everybody.

Essentially it means work in an environment where you as a the worker know what's expected of you, that the expectations are reasonable and the work enviroment is free from negative culture such as discrimination and bullying.

There are four elements of good work, although not all of these need to be present for the work to be ‘good’, as they don’t apply equally to all jobs:

Engages the worker: when an employer engages with their workers it creates a positive workplace culture.

Engages the community: good work is also positive for customers, family, extended networks, not just the worker.

Provides fairness and transparency: good work happens in a workplace that values respect and is free from discrimination and bullying.

Provides good work design: there must be a good match between the worker, the demands of the job, and the support available.

Why is getting back to work a good thing?

Although not possible in all instances, there is compelling evidence that recovery at work is better for health and wellbeing. And that long term work absence, work disability and unemployment generally have a negative impact on health and wellbeing.

Work itself can be an important part of rehabilitation. Work provides physical, social and financial benefits, and can provide much-needed support for continued recovery.

Perceptive Health believes in the benefits of good work, and is a recognised signatory of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine’s Consensus Statement on the Health Benefits of Good Work.

For more information or a confidential discussion regarding how we can assist in your recovery after injury, please contact us today.