What Is Stigma In The Context Of Workers’ Compensation?
Workers Compensation Stigma often paints injured workers as burdens or incapable, overshadowing their capabilities and potential for recovery. Understanding stigma is the first step toward dismantling its harmful effects and creating a supportive, inclusive environment for those navigating workplace injuries.
Why Stigma Persists Within Workers’ Compensation
Stigma can play a large part in increasing the suffering of an injured or sick person. Often they feel like they are being judged, or letting the side down, and when they do return to work, will they be treated the same way.
Guests: Dr Caroline Howe, Libi Stone & MSSN Members
Host: Abe
In this episode Dr Caroline Howe speaks to Libi Stone – Occupational Rehabilitation Leader and Senior Rehabilitation Consultant – in a wide ranging conversation encompassing stigma, the role of anxiety, how the medical hierarchy and Case Managers help (and sometimes don’t) in Workers Compensation, plus how to combat stigma, regain your confidence and see through to the other side.
They are joined by members of the My Social Support Network who share their experiences with stigma.
Why do people who experience work-related injuries often find themselves stigmatised? Despite the original intent of workers’ compensation schemes—to support injured workers—labels and outdated perceptions continue to harm those who need help the most. Paradoxically, the very systems designed to offer support are well known to exacerbate mental health challenges and delay recovery.
The Psychology of Labels: More Than Words
Our brains naturally use labels to simplify complexity. Just like a label on a cereal box offers us confidence in its contents, labels applied to people can shape how we perceive and treat them. The problem arises when these labels create harmful assumptions. In workers’ compensation, terms like “injured worker” or “no capacity” leads to supporting negative stereotypes, fostering biases among employers, coworkers, healthcare professionals and the insurers tasked to apply the “workers compensation” legilslation (side note being the emphasis on the word “worker’s” which one would assume should protect the worker)
The Cost of Stigma
Stigmatization in workers’ compensation has become entrenched over the decades, creating barriers for both employers and employees. Employers can view injured workers as liabilities, while those with injuries start to believe that they are damaged or unemployable. We know from experience and research that the stigma fuels a cycle of shame, anxiety, and isolation, leading to poorer recovery outcomes and a diminished quality of life.
A Closer Look at Psychological Claims
In My Social Support Network our experience shows that 96% of our psychological claims stem from workplace dynamics— specifically bullying and harassment. While psychosocial safety guidelines suggest that there could be multiple drivers for a psychological injury, the numbers we see speak for themselves that true progress hinges on fostering healthier workplace relationships and supportive cultures.
Addressing Employer Concerns
Breaking stigma requires educating and engaging all of us to have better conversations. We need to better support employers before the injury is reported and to help them create space for people returning to work or supporting them to find new employment faster. Yes, the area is complex and sadly driven by finance but if we continue to ignore the obstacles for employers we continue to drive the high rates of psychological claims. By communicating in relatable terms, offering clarity around medical clearances, and supporting the return-to-work process, we can foster a culture of understanding and inclusivity. Employers must be able to feel safe that people with an injury are ready and capable of going back to work either to their old employer, or for a new employer taking on a person who was previously injured.
Bridging the Gaps in Support Systems
- Empowering Medical Professionals: We need to get better at providing doctors with the tools and information necessary to fill in the certificates of capacity to define what the person’s capacity actually is. We could rethink how the certificate of capacity educates as well as gathers information.
- Leveraging Supportive Programs: We could all do better to use the SIRA funded programs in the NSW scheme such as Work Trials and JCPP and get better educated around the amazing benefits to employers as well as the financial benefits and protections for the injured person.
Changing Language, Changing Mindsets
Language matters. The words we use shape our perceptions and influence how we treat others. By shifting away from dismissive terms and fostering an inclusive environment, we can change the narrative. Employers, healthcare providers, people with injuries and regulators must begin to collaborate to eliminate harmful labels.
In MSSN the podcast is run completely by people with injuries. When you listen to the podcast you would be hard pressed to know who is who – staff / injured person? The point is, the label is irrelevant because we are a team, and we get the job done. Language matters.
The Podcast Ep 19 has some great Practical Tips to Reduce Stigma
- Engage the Person with the Injury: Make sure that they are an active participant in their own recovery and return-to-community / work process.
- Open Dialogue: Encourage people who have experienced an injury to ask questions and evaluate any workplace culture before going back to work. Help people with injuries remember that the scheme was there to support them.
- Promote Choice and Autonomy: Empower anyone with an injury to take control of their recovery and career path. The return-to-work hierarchy is there for a reason and can be used at any time. If the old job isn’t working then moving on is ok.
- Utilise Available Programs: We need to work together to raise awareness about any of the many supportive state-run workers compensation programs that help with the transition back to employment for both the employer and the person who has experienced an injury at work.
Building a Positive Path Forward
A supportive and stigma-free workers’ compensation experience is within reach but it’s really going to take some work. Little has changed in the life of my career spanning 30 years, but it doesn’t mean it needs to stay the same. We should all be challenging entrenched norms, challenging the labels we use and embracing empathy, understanding, and finding practical support. If we all work together, we can transform how we approach work-related injuries.
People with injuries are in desperate need to break the cycle of stigma and foster environments where recovery and growth are not only possible but celebrated both for them but for a new employer as well.
The opportunity is available to us to create a future where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to reclaim their lives and remember everyone’s best tomorrow begins today so Create Today!!
Have you listened to our other episodes? Packed full of helpful advice to support you or a loved one on the workers compensation journey.
