Key Messages from the Workers' Voice study
The video series
Key Messages
What would help injured workers recover? The Workers’ Voice study asked them.
Workers’ Voice is a three-year independent national study of workers’ experiences of Australia’s workers’ compensation systems.
Four short videos now share what workers told the research team and the changes they say would make a difference:
Watch the videos
Each video carries one key message and has its own Key Message Briefing, written for insurers, regulators and policymakers.
Key message“Workers’ compensation can cause additional harm to injured people.”
Most injured workers recover and return to work. Many also tell us the claims process added psychological and financial stress on top of their injury. This video explains why the independent study was run, what workers told us, and why it matters for how schemes are designed and managed.
Download the Video 1 briefing (PDF), opens in a new tabKey message“Workers’ compensation processes should be simpler, fairer, and easier to navigate — and the first moments of a claim have a big impact on workers.”
The first days of a claim shape a worker’s whole experience. Waiting to learn whether a claim is accepted, and not understanding the process, are major sources of stress. This video sets out what workers say would help: plain-language information, clear reasons for decisions, independent support and no unnecessary red tape.
Download the Video 2 briefing (PDF), opens in a new tabKey message“Respectful, transparent relationships between insurers and workers support recovery.”
Claims managers are the main point of contact between a worker and the compensation system. Workers say that a respectful, collaborative claims manager can make a powerful difference to their recovery and return to work. This video looks at what trust, transparency and empathy look like in practice.
Download the Video 3 briefing (PDF), opens in a new tabKey message“Workers with mental health conditions need a fit-for-purpose model of care.”
Australia’s workers’ compensation schemes were designed in an era when physical injuries dominated. Work-related mental ill health is now far more commonly reported, but claims processes haven’t kept pace. This video shares what injured workers told us and calls for a model of care built for psychological injury, designed with workers.
This video includes emotionally difficult testimony. If you or someone you know needs support: Lifeline 13 11 14 · Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
Download the Video 4 briefing (PDF), opens in a new tabWant to talk through the findings and what they could mean for your organisation? The research team would like to hear from you.
Email the research team