Once you and your rehab team feel you are ready to work, you can start planning.
Planning is important to help you remain at work. Some jobs may be more suitable than others, depending on the impact of your brain injury.
Think about your pre-injury work duties and whether your job is still available and a realistic option for you. If you cannot return to your pre-injury job, it will be necessary to find a new job. If you are looking for a new job, think about your strengths and what you enjoy doing.
Options
Your options for returning to work are:
- resume your previous job
- return to your previous employer, but do a new job
- find a new employer, but doing the work tasks or role you did before your injury
- find a new work role and a new employer.
Think about
Planning for work involves thinking about:
- getting ready for work
- travelling to and from work
- fitting work in with rehab you might still be doing
- impacts on your family and any changes you have had in family roles since your injury.
The return-to-work team
There is a team of people who can guide you and your employer through your return to work.
You
You are the key person in your return-to-work program. It is likely you will have support and regular contact with other key people throughout the return-to-work process.
Vocational provider
The vocational provider will work with you and your employer to coordinate your return-to-work program.
If you are returning to your previous job, they will usually start with a workplace assessment. This involves meeting with you and your employer to assess the demands of your work tasks. The vocational provider will speak with your employer about what adjustments you may need at work. Adjustments in the workplace are any changes to your work role or work environment that help you to complete your work.
The vocational provider will develop a return-to-work plan with input from all key people, including you. This plan will outline the agreed duties, hours and supports to help you return to work. There may be several plans over time, each one increasing the duties and hours towards your return-to-work goal.
If you are finding a job with a new employer, the vocational provider may start with a vocational assessment. This involves working with you to find suitable jobs you can perform. They will consider your employment history, skills and interests. At the same time, they will consider your physical and cognitive abilities.
Your vocational provider may suggest a work trial for you. A work trial involves working with a different employer for up to 12 weeks. The purpose is to increase your work capacity, develop skills and gain on-the-job experience.
Your vocational provider can give you details about possible funding.
Rehab team
The rehab team may include a medical specialist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist and/or speech pathologist. They will provide advice about how your brain injury may impact your return to work and how to best manage this.
People at your workplace
The people at your workplace have a significant role in your return to work. Your employer or manager can help identify workplace adjustments to help you gradually return to work. They can inform your co-workers you will be starting work. Support from your co-workers is important to help you feel comfortable and confident about returning to work.
Other agencies
There can be other agencies involved in your return-to-work program. If your brain injury was caused by an accident, an insurance company or icare may be involved. These agencies won’t generally be directly involved in the program. They can help you with questions about funding, wages, obligations and entitlements.
Some people may be with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and have a support person managing their NDIS plan. This person will work with your rehab team and the vocational provider to ensure the NDIS is providing the right level of support for your return-to-work program.
Preparing to return to work
Think about what you have learned in rehab to manage your day-to-day activities and how you can use these skills to manage your work tasks. Think about what challenges you may have when you start working.
Talking to the people at your workplace
Talking with your employer and co-workers about your brain injury may be on your mind as you prepare to return to work. If you’re going back to your pre-injury job, your employer would be aware of your brain injury. But they may not understand how your brain injury may have changed you and they may have questions.
If you are starting work with a new employer, you may feel anxious about how to talk about your injury with a new employer, or with co-workers.
If you would like more information on talking about your brain injury with your employer and co-workers, go to the Talking about my brain injury at work page.
Your vocational provider can help you to explain your brain injury to your employer and co-workers.
Read more about your options for talking about your injury at work.
Managing fatigue
People with a brain injury who resumed working reported fatigue as being the most difficult issue at work. The extra concentration, thinking, moving and socialising that many jobs require can be tiring for the brain while it is still recovering from injury. It is important to plan how you will manage your fatigue.
Tips to help you manage fatigue
- Return to work on reduced hours and slowly increase your hours over time. Your vocational provider and rehab team will suggest work hours in discussion with you and your employer.
- Work in a quiet environment without distractions. This will help you to focus on your work tasks.
- Schedule other appointments (therapy and rehab) around your work hours.
- Ask for support to complete home activities, e.g. cooking dinner, if you are too tired after being at work.
- Include recreational activities or exercises into your weekly routine.
For more tips about managing fatigue at work, see Strategies to help you at work.
Being positive but realistic
You may find that you can no longer do the job that you did in the same way as before your brain injury. Your attitude towards returning to work after your brain injury is very important.
Advice from other people with a brain injury
- Accept feedback from other people.
- Use the strategies your rehab team has suggested at work.
- Ask others for support and tell them what you need.
- Think positively about going back to work.
- Accept your limitations, but also be confident about what you can do.