Fit-for-work assessments might seem unnecessary, as employees often think they know best when they’re fit to return to work. Employers may be hesitant to incur more costs after an employee has had an extended break from work. But a fitness for work assessment can offer significant benefits to both the employer and the employee. 

What is a Fitness for Work Assessment?

When Fitness for Work Assessments are Used

• Returning to work following a lengthy/serious illness or injury
• An event or abnormal behaviour at work attributed to health or psychiatric issues
• Poor attendance at work
• A potential health condition that may impact a worker’s productivity or attendance

Why Fitness for Work Assessments are Important

Fitness for work evaluations is necessary in a range of instances. Employers are required to provide a safe environment for all workers, so they need to ensure that staff members are fit to reduce the risks of mishaps to themselves and their colleagues. It’s difficult for an employer to know when a worker should return to work, but an independent assessment can give an employer the confidence to ask the worker to do so. Without the assessment, employers may need to rely solely on the worker's judgment to feel well enough, which is not always the most accurate. 

Fitness for work assessments can also give employees peace of mind that they have recovered. Most employees won’t know what stage their recovery is at without the help of a medical professional, which is why the assessment is conducted by an expert who provides their medical opinion. 

Difference Between Physical & Mental Fitness for Work Assessments

Physical fitness for work assessment may evaluate the worker’s posture, joint stability, strength, cardiovascular fitness, and the ability to bend, squat, reach and complete manual handling tasks. The evaluation ensures the staff member can complete tasks that their role demands without the risk of a new injury or aggravating an existing one.   

A mental fitness assessment considers an individual’s state of well-being and how they feel, think and act. When a person is mentally fit, they can stay calm and respond appropriately to most situations. If a person returns to work when they’re not psychologically well, their mental health can deteriorate further due to work stress. 

Employees who are not psychologically fit may need more time off work to recover from the setback. Their poor mental health can also adversely impact their colleagues. In high-risk workplaces, staff must think clearly and quickly to prevent serious injury and possible death. 

A fitness for work assessment may recommend the employee seek professional treatment or take time before returning to ensure they are in the right headspace for work.

How Employers Benefit from Assessments

Requesting workers to undergo a fitness for work assessment ensures they won’t further injure themselves. Employees injured at work may be eligible for extensive sick leave or a workers’ compensation claim. The cost of a claim can increase the employer’s worker’s compensation policy ongoing.  

An assessment can also ensure the workplace continues to be safe for other employees. In many industries, a physically or mentally ill worker can endanger the safety of those around them, and everyone deserves to be safe while at work. 

Rather than being too cautious and requiring a staff member to stay away from work until fully fit, the assessment can identify and manage potential health concerns. By restricting or altering some of their tasks, a staff member may be able to return to work earlier, reducing the cost to the organisation. The assessment provides the employer with expert advice on what the worker’s role should and shouldn’t include. 

If an employer fails to organise an assessment and the worker hurts themselves or someone else, the employer may be liable under the Work Health and Safety Act.     

How Employees Benefit from Assessments

Returning to work too early after an injury or illness can cause a lengthy setback to a person’s recovery. Employees may think they’re ready to return, but an assessment may identify them as unfit for a period or unable to complete some tasks in the short or long term. On the other hand, some employees lose their confidence or think they aren’t fit to return long after they have recovered. But an assessment can give them the confidence they need to return.

Benefits of Returning to Work