A strategy for assessing the impact and effectiveness of the return-to-work programme’s structure, policy, processes, and individual and programme outcomes is established in collaboration with partners and stakeholders, including the person concerned.
Monitoring refers to the process of observing results; evaluation refers to the assessment of progress towards reaching specific objectives. To ensure success, it is necessary to establish a system for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the return-to-work programme which addresses its structure, processes and outcomes. This includes both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the programme and its processes, and of individual and programme outcomes both inside and outside the social security institution.
Those responsible for return-to-work services are certified to have achieved, and maintain, internationally recognized levels of professional competence. The same professional standards and certification requirements are promoted to their counterparts in partner and stakeholder organizations.
As the process of ensuring successful job retention and return-to-work outcomes is continuously evolving, those responsible for return-to-work services must achieve and maintain certified professional competence.
Educational programmes provided to employees responsible for return-to-work services are of a high level, cover all topic areas related to job retention and the return to work, and participants are provided with the essential knowledge and skills to provide optimum return-to-work services for persons with disabilities. These programmes are promoted to all partners and stakeholder organizations, including employers, trade unions and service providers.
Those responsible for providing return-to-work services – whether within the institution or in partner and stakeholder organizations – have the requisite knowledge and skills to conform to internationally recognized levels of competence.
The return-to-work field is complex and involves many stakeholders, including the social security institution, other government agencies, employers, trade union organizations, health-care professionals, service providers and people whose jobs are in jeopardy as a result of an injury, illness, or acute, long-term or chronic health condition.
Productive relationships are cultivated with national, regional and local networks which have potential impact in the return-to-work process, and there is a strategy in place for maximizing the opportunities they offer the return-to-work programme.
Effective prevention and management of injury, illness or a health condition is the result of the coordinated efforts of a multi-disciplinary team and the promotion of partnerships.
An effective multi-disciplinary team will involve such actors as health-care professionals and providers, rehabilitation professionals and suppliers of assistive devices, and community resources such as government programmes and those operated by special interest groups which offer information, education, counselling and support.
Various workplace actors play key roles in the return-to-work process and their respective roles are reflected in the return-to-work strategy.
Key actors include the person concerned who is absent from work as a result of injury, illness, health condition or disability; their employer; co-employees; and trade unions, employee representatives and other advocates. Where a trade union is represented in the workplace, the return-to-work strategy is consensus based, involving the union at every stage.
A system of effective communication among all stakeholders and partners facilitates the seamless, timely return to work. There is an effective strategy for exchanging facts, thoughts and ideas in an open and respectful manner. The flow of oral and written information complies with relevant legislation such as privacy law.
