Reasonable adjustments and return-to-work plans

What are reasonable adjustments?

Reasonable adjustments are changes at work that help someone to perform their duties and reduce any barriers to work. They may involve changes to work processes, practices, procedures or the environment.

Examples of adjustments to support a person experiencing mental ill-health could include:

• flexible working arrangements (e.g. job rotation, variable start and finish times)
• reduced hours or part-time work for a period
• changing some aspects of the job or work tasks (e.g. exchanging a single demanding project for a job consisting of several smaller tasks, modifying tasks that may be stressful or overwhelming)
• establishing goals, prompts, reminders and checklists to help the worker manage time and workload
• changing the workplace or work area (e.g. moving a worker to a quieter work area)
• adjusting the environment of the workspace (e.g. installing a privacy screen)
• providing access to professional mentoring, coaching or on-the-job peer support
• ensuring the worker does not return to a backlog of work or emails
• purchasing or modifying equipment that provides support.

Reasonable adjustments apply to all areas of employment including:

• recruitment, selection and appointment
• current work
• career development
• training
• promotion, transfers or any other employment benefit.

The value of reasonable adjustments

Making reasonable adjustments provides a strong signal to the individual and others that your workplace supports its people and their health and wellbeing, including mental health. They also provide a practical way of helping people return to work faster, which reduces time away from work or costs associated with covering that person’s workload and leave.

Making reasonable adjustments to support people to stay at work is also a requirement under some legislation, such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. They may also form some of your obligations under workers compensation legislation in your jurisdiction. 

Some people returning to work may need adjustments. And these adjustments may change over time. Other people may not need any adjustments. It depends on the person. The only way to know is to ask them. 

Identifying reasonable adjustments

Because each person’s experience of mental ill-health is different, each person may require different adjustments to support them to stay at work or return to work. 

Steps for identifying and providing reasonable adjustments for an individual include:

1. Identify the 'core' requirements of their job. 
2. Understand their current skills, abilities and work capacity. You can also consult with members of their treatment or support team with their permission.
3. Work in collaboration with the person to identify where they may need reasonable adjustments, and what adjustments will help. 
4. Write out these adjustments in a wellness plan or return-to-work plan that is reviewed and agreed to by all parties.
5. Check adjustments are working or need to be updated over time.

It is important that a person is ready to be at work in some capacity before a return-to-work plan is put in place. If they feel pressured to return to work before they are ready, it may negatively impact their mental health. 

What to consider when creating a return-to-work plan

Research shows people with a formal return-to-work plan are more likely to return to work successfully. Creating return-to-work plans may also be a legal requirement in some jurisdictions under some workers compensation legislation.

The process of creating and communicating a return-to-work plan is valuable because it can help develop a shared understanding about what adjustments or supports are required and for how long. By sharing the return-to-work plan with relevant people (e.g. managers, supervisors, human resources, treatment professionals), everyone has the same information about the role each person is playing in this process. 

Here are some tips on preparing a return-to-work plan:

• Actively involve all relevant parties in developing the plan to ensure their needs and views have been considered. 
• Include details such as start date, hours and days of work, details of the worker’s injury or illness as well as agreed adjustments (e.g. suitable tasks and tasks to be avoided).
• Think about how the plan will be reviewed and monitored, including the planned end date or review date for the reasonable adjustments and supports. 
• Include details about communication and reporting expectations related to the plan, e.g. are there regular updates provided about progress against the plan?
• Ensure there is enough time allowed in the plan for the person to return to work at their own pace, recognising there may be ups and downs in terms of progress throughout the journey.
• Consider any new or emerging work health and safety risks that may be associated with return to work. These will need to be identified and addressed in the same way other physical and psychosocial hazards are identified and addressed. This is important for minimising the risk of exacerbating existing concerns or new injuries or concerns developing.
• Get professional help with the return-to-work plan if it is needed. Professional help may be sought from experts such as human resources or work health and safety professionals, mental health professionals, an occupational physician or a return-to-work consultant.