Safe Work Australia has released its 2026 Scorecard Report for the National Return to Work Strategy 2020 to 2030, and the findings should prompt serious reflection for employers across Australia.
Six years into the ten year strategy, the data shows that despite significant national investment and effort, many key indicators have either stalled or worsened. For employers, the message is becoming harder to ignore. Current approaches are not delivering the outcomes workers need.
What Is the National Return to Work Strategy?
The National Return to Work Strategy 2020 to 2030 is Australia’s coordinated framework for improving outcomes for workers recovering from work related injury or illness.
The strategy focuses on three main goals:
- More workers staying in or returning to good work after injury
- More positive return to work experiences for injured workers
- More employers effectively preparing for and managing workplace injury and illness
The 2026 Scorecard measures progress against these goals and highlights where improvements are being made, along with where significant gaps remain.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Where Australia Is Falling Short
Injured workers are reporting poorer health
One of the clearest findings in the report is the decline in injured workers reporting good overall health.
In Year 6, only 64% of injured workers described their health as good or better, down from 74% at the start of the strategy. This aligns with broader ABS data showing an increase in employed Australians experiencing pain that interferes with their work.
Time away from work continues to increase
Workers’ compensation claims involving long periods away from work are also rising.
Claims involving 13 weeks or more off work increased from 162 per 1,000 claims at baseline to 220 per 1,000 claims in Year 6. Although there are signs of recent stabilisation, the broader trend remains concerning for both workers and employers.
Workers Feel Let Down
The report also highlights declining confidence in the compensation and recovery process.
The proportion of workers who felt the process was fair dropped from 74.6% to 60.1%. Reports of stressful interactions with healthcare providers increased significantly, and injured workers are now far less likely to feel supported by their employer than they were at the beginning of the strategy.
The Perception Gap Between Employers and Workers Is Alarming
One of the most striking findings in this year’s Scorecard is the difference between how employers believe they are supporting workers and how workers actually experience that support.
Measure | Worker Perspective | Employer Perspective |
Employer supported the worker | 49.8% | 94.1% |
Employer contacted the worker | 68.8% | 93.5% |
Return to work plan in place | 67.3% | 82.1% |
This gap is significant. Many employers genuinely believe they are providing effective support, yet workers are reporting a very different experience.
It highlights an important issue in return to work management. Good intentions alone are not enough if workers do not feel supported throughout the process.
Where There Is Progress
The report also points to areas where targeted action is improving outcomes.
Average insurer decision times have reduced nationally, falling from 5.8 weeks to 5.1 weeks. Faster decisions are consistently linked with better return to work outcomes.
Decision times for psychological injury claims have also improved, dropping from 14.6 weeks to 11 weeks, although they still take considerably longer than physical injury claims.
There has also been improvement in communication between healthcare providers and workplaces, with more workers receiving work focused healthcare support and slightly more workers having return to work plans in place.
These improvements show that focused intervention and system level change can make a real difference.
The Growing Mental Health Challenge
Mental health continues to be a major issue throughout the report.
Psychological injury claims take longer to process and are often more complex to manage. Safe Work Australia has also identified ongoing concerns around secondary psychological injury, where workers develop mental health conditions as a result of the compensation process itself.
Research funded under the strategy found that uncertainty is one of the biggest drivers of secondary psychological injury. Uncertainty around recovery, finances, claims processes and communication can significantly impact wellbeing.
For employers, this reinforces how important early communication and genuine support can be during the first stages of a claim.
Workers’ compensation stigma also remains a concern, with nearly one quarter of workers still worried they could lose their job for making a claim.
What This Means for Employers
The 2026 Scorecard is not just a policy document. It is a practical signal to Australian employers that business-as-usual approaches to workplace injury management are producing worsening outcomes even when employers believe they are doing everything right.
The perception gap alone should prompt every organisation to ask hard questions about what their injured workers are actually experiencing versus what leadership believes is happening on the ground.
What Employers Can Do Right Now
The report makes one thing clear. Employers who take an early, practical and worker focused approach are more likely to achieve positive outcomes.
- Act Within the First 24–48 Hours
Early contact from a manager or supervisor remains one of the strongest predictors of successful return to work outcomes.
A simple phone call in the first 24 to 48 hours can help workers feel supported and connected during what is often a stressful time. - Co-design a Return to Work Plan With Your Worker
Return to work plans are more effective when workers are involved in developing them.
Workers are more likely to engage with plans that reflect genuine discussion, flexibility and understanding of their situation. - Ask workers how support feels
Many organisations have strong policies in place, but policies do not always reflect lived experience.
Employers should regularly check in with injured workers and seek honest feedback about how supported they feel throughout the process. - Train Your Supervisors and Return to Work Coordinators
Return to work coordination is not only administrative. Communication skills, empathy and understanding psychological safety all play an important role in recovery outcomes.
Investing in training for supervisors and return to work coordinators can improve both worker experience and organisational outcomes. - Take psychosocial risks seriously
Psychosocial hazards such as high workload, poor communication, low support and workplace conflict continue to contribute to injury risk.
Organisations that proactively address these risks are better positioned to support both prevention and recovery. - Engage an Occupational Health Partner Early
Early access to physiotherapists, psychologists and occupational rehabilitation specialists is consistently linked with shorter recovery times and better long term outcomes.
Providing workers with the right support early can reduce disruption and help prevent minor issues becoming more complex claims.
How Axis Can Help
At Axis Occupational Health and Wellbeing, we work with organisations across Australia to do exactly what the evidence demands, prevent injuries, support early recovery, and help workers return to meaningful, productive work.
Our multidisciplinary team delivers tailored workplace health solutions including:
Early intervention and triage services
- Onsite physiotherapy
- Return to work support
- Mental wellbeing services
- Injury prevention programs
With return to work rates of 95 to 97% and documented reductions in workers’ compensation claims of up to 65 to 75%, we help organisations create workplaces where people recover well, stay engaged and continue performing at their best.
The 2026 Scorecard shows there is still work to do across Australia’s return to work system. With the right approach, organisations have an opportunity to improve both worker wellbeing and long term business outcomes.
Get in touch with the Axis team today at helloaxis.com.au or call us on 1300 196 393.
Sources: Safe Work Australia, National Return to Work Strategy 2020–2030 Scorecard Report 2026. For full methodology and data, visit safeworkaustralia.gov.au.
