If one of your employees has suffered a serious accident at work you could find that they end up suffering from more than just their initial injuries. Depression after a work accident is incredibly common and can be devastating when combined with severe physical pain.
It is not just the pain that can lead to depression after a work related injury. Many people lose their self-confidence after an accident and can find it difficult to return to work, especially when that is where the accident occurred. Employers need to be aware of the risks of depression and other mental health problems which are triggered by a workplace accident. This article will show you what to watch out for and how to help your employees get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
Talking to Employee
While many people find it difficult to talk to their boss about their medical issues, when it comes to recovery after a workplace accident good communication is the key to success. Depression is a common side-effect of sustaining an injury and it is good practice for any employer to take the time to talk with their staff about how the accident has impacted on their emotional health and well-being.
Often psychological problems can make it more difficult for a person to fully recover after an accident. Pain and depression go hand in hand. This means that if your employee is suffering from emotional ill effects after their accident their recovery and effectiveness at work on their return will be diminished.
When you take the time to talk to your employees about the emotional effects of their injury, or ensure that they get effective psychological evaluation and support after an accident, it can drastically decrease recovery times and the costs to your business of sickness payments. Indeed, many workers compensation professionals believe that all employees should have at least one psychological assessment with a mental health professional after an accident to ensure that psychological ill effects are picked up before they become a more deep seated issue.
Psychological & Physiological help
It is not just a case of talking through the potential psychological effects of an accident sustained while at work in order to aid recovery. There are also several physiological ways to help an employee who is suffering from depression as a result of a serious work related injury.
Once your employee is back at work they may need to take extra breaks in order to keep moving away and prevent their joints from seizing up. Depending on the injury, frequent rest or movement breaks can have tremendous benefits for pain management. Allowing your employee the time and space to work within their ability at a pace that is comfortable for them will not only help them to manage their pain, it will also show them that you are sympathetic to their situation. This is a big step in avoiding depression after an accident.
Of course there are other factors such as taking the right medication and even eating the right foods that can all play a role in avoiding depression. By being an employer who is sympathetic to your workers additional needs after any kind of serious, work related accident you can significantly decrease recovery times and increase productivity within your workforce. Treating your employees with respect, compassion and understanding has tremendous benefits when it comes to aiding recovery after a work related injury.
This guest post has been written and contributed on behalf of family law solicitors Hughes Carlisle.
