Overcoming A Workplace Injury: How To Keep Your Career On Track
If you suffer an injury at work it can be a very worrying time. Not only are you concerned about how you are going to recover from the injury, but it can also play on your mind that it may affect your performance or prospects in your current role. Here are the steps to take in order to overcome a workplace injury and keep your career on track.
Report the injury
If you are injured at work you should report it, even if it seems trivial at the time. When you suffer any sort of injury and don’t report it you will make it impossible to follow it up. If you later discover that the injury is more serious than you had originally thought you will have no recourse to take further action. Any employer should have a logbook for any workplace injuries that they keep on record, so talk to your manager or someone in a position of authority and they will be able to help you.
Take the time to document the injury properly
While you report it, go a step further and take the time to properly document the circumstances surrounding the injury. For example, if you slipped on wet floor or were asked to carry out a task without the proper equipment either take photos of the evidence or talk to others who would be able to corroborate your story. If you ever find that you need to take time off work through the injury and your employer is unhappy about this, it will be up to you to prove that the injury was sustained at work, and wasn’t your fault. It’s best to gather evidence as soon as possible after the event.
Understand if you are owed compensation
It’s important for you to establish whether you are owed compensation. It is the case that if you have suffered an injury at work that wasn’t your fault and it caused any sort of hardship or loss of income, then you can make a claim for compensation. You should talk to a personal injury solicitor who will be able to go over the details of your injury and feel you understand whether your case could be successfully taken forward. This is the time where it can be useful if you have already gathered evidence that the injury was not your fault.
Be open and honest with your employer
You may find that being open and honest with your employer is a far better way to resolve the situation. Taking legal action is often not a preferable outcome for anyone involved if your employer is willing to provide compensation and time off as well as allowing you to continue in your current role. Talk to your employer about this before you enter into legal proceedings as it may be the case that they are willing to come to a compromise.
It can be very problematic if your employer is unwilling to accept their responsibility and you may be left with no option but to take legal action. Remember that if they threaten you with losing your job, this would be grounds for unfair dismissal, so the law remains on your side.
Put your recovery first
One of the most important aspects of overcoming a workplace is injury is understanding that you need to recover from it. Whether the work you do is strenuous or not, trying to rush back to work after you have been injured is an easy way to re-injure yourself and actually make it harder to keep your career on track. So make sure that you recover properly before you try to put yourself through the stresses of the workplace again.
Be productive during your recovery
There’s no reason why you can’t be productive while you recover. Do the things that you would like to have time for at the moment but don’t currently get. Read books pertaining to your career or even take an online course – anything that you can help you to jumpstart your return to work.
Work from home
If you have suffered an injury that makes it impossible to return to your workplace – for example a broken leg – talk to your employer about different options for working such as working from home. This can allow you stay up to speed with the company so that you don’t feel left behind when you get back to the office.
Do you need to consider a new career?
It may be the case that the injury you have sustained at work may make it impossible to continue with your current career. Many people who are faced with this situation will attempt to go back to their work unsuccessfully, but it can be smarter to be realistic about your prospects and find a way to transition to a new career. Of course, starting a new career may mean that you will need to take a significant cut in salary, so this is where it can be very useful to have compensation from your injuries.