Supporting Your Injured Employee: A Recovery at Work Guide for Employers
Keep your business moving:
Employees are essential to your business. When someone is injured, it can affect your team, productivity, and workplace morale. Playing an active role in an employee’s recovery benefits everyone: it supports their wellbeing, retains valuable skills, reduces lost productivity, and strengthens your workplace culture.
Why Recovery at Work Matters
Staying connected to work helps an injured employee’s physical and mental recovery. Gradually returning to work provides activity, social connection, and a sense of purpose. For most straightforward injuries, work should be a key part of rehabilitation.
Benefits of supporting recovery at work:
Faster recovery and return to duties
Continued contribution to the business
Retention of skills and knowledge
Opportunities to learn new skills
Boosted team morale and positive culture
Access to abated weekly compensation from ACC if working reduced hours
Key Roles in Recovery
Recovery is a team effort, involving:
Family/whānau and friends
Employer, supervisors, teammates, and health & safety reps
Health providers (doctor, physiotherapist)
Vocational rehab providers (if needed)
ACC recovery teams
How Employers Can Support
Start early communication: Talk openly with your employee about their injury, treatment, and recovery at work.
Understand medical certificates: Use them to adjust duties, hours, or work environment safely.
Create a Recovery at Work Plan: Collaborate with your employee using templates from ACC to clearly outline tasks, responsibilities, and timeframes.
Monitor progress: Check in regularly and provide support as needed.
Manage payments: Use ACC abatement to allow employees to earn up to 100% of their usual income while returning gradually.
Practical Steps:
Keep employees connected to work through adjusted duties or hours
Use ACC online services like MyACC for Business for claim management
Seek professional advice for complex recovery needs
Learn More
Supporting an injured employee benefits everyone. To explore detailed guidance, templates, and tools, download the full ACC “Recovery at Work” document here:
