How accidents are affecting employees

For those who have had an accident that has meant they’ve had to miss work, the prospect of returning can be daunting. Perhaps their injury happened at work so they have that added tension? Or maybe they have been out of the office for so long that they worry they will struggle to keep up?

To find out more about the lasting impact of an injury, National Accident Helpline recently released a report that explores the repercussions of an accident – and the results were eye-opening. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, half of those who have had an accident said their injury has negatively impacted on their job.

So, in what way are injured employees being impacted in the workplace? And how can those that are worried work through their concerns?

The impact on work

According to the report, 57% of those injured when it wasn’t their fault have worried about losing their job altogether. These fears potentially stem from the issues they encounter when they have returned to work. Almost two-thirds (60%) said they couldn’t do certain tasks and 63% worried about their performance.

As a result of this, both the confidence the employee has in their capabilities is reduced and their work suffers. Given that this is all happening as a result of something that wasn’t their fault, the employee is going through a lot. This means that the employer ought to be aware of the fallout of the injury on their employee as this survey shows that there is a strong possibility their worker is finding things difficult.

The impact on mental health

In addition to the stress of going back to work and all that entails, the accident itself can have a lasting effect on the employee’s mental health. The National Accident Helpline survey saw that 35% of respondents experienced stress, 34% had anxiety, and 21% had sleep deprivation.

When combined with the 55% of people who lost income as a result of their accident, it’s clear that there is a far-reaching negative effect on their overall wellbeing as much as their finances. Money worries can be detrimental to a person’s mental health.

This added financial pressure can make the recovery time take longer as they are trying hard to get back to the workplace when they might not be ready. Those that have been in an accident that wasn’t their fault can put forward a no win no fee compensation claim.

How to ease back into the workplace

If you have been in an accident and you’re feeling concerned about returning to work, here
are some tips to help you ease back in:

• Stay in touch – speak to your colleagues while you’re recovering from your accident. Try setting up a call every couple of weeks to keep in the loop both professionally and socially.
• Get into a routine – try getting back into your workday routine at home. Set your wake up alarm for the time you’d usually get up for work and take a lunch break.
• Update your employer – it’s up to you if you want to update your employer while you’re recovering. If you do decide to tell them about your recovery, you’re putting them in a good position as they will know if you need any adaptations to be made to make you feel comfortable when you return.
• Take it easy – try not to put yourself under pressure to return. Take your time and don’t rush back if you don’t feel ready.