Many workers and workplaces in this province have distinctive features that make generic return-to-work policies and practices less effective than they could be; these include regionally distinct industries, and a high prevalence of small, remote, seasonal, and even moving workplace settings. This is particularly true with regard to supporting return-to-work for the two most common types of work-related injuries or illnesses—musculoskeletal injuries and mental health conditions.
Memorial University researchers Dr. Kim Cullen and Dr. Stephen Bornstein are collaborating with a stakeholder advisory group (Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association, NL Fish Harvesting Safety Association, and Atlantic Offshore Medical Services) to host this Leadership Roundtable focused on what we can do to support return-to-work, improve recovery and reduce income and productivity losses for workers and workplaces in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Our goal for this 1-day, multi-stakeholder collaborative dialogue is to present the most up-to-date research evidence on “what works” in return-to-work and to discuss how evidence might be applied in our distinctive contexts to explore “how can it work here”. Facilitator-led conversations will focus on:
• What have we tried?
• How well has it worked?
• What barriers and facilitators are encountered on the ground?
• Are there strategies that might prove more effective?
