Why nobody reads your Job Dictionaries

October 29, 2020

Job Dictionaries are tools that are widely used across many industries, particularly those that have occupational risks. They can certainly be an effective tool but in a lot of instances they would not be given a second glance by one of the key stakeholders that they have been created for.

One of the core reasons why Job Dictionaries are created by companies are to provide a useful tool to doctors to assist with the return to work process in the Workers Compensation System. Giving medical professionals an inherent understanding of a worker’s job requirements is essential for effective return to work planning, but this is where many Job Dictionaries fall short.

As most people know, doctors are extremely time poor with booking after booking and are regularly running behind. Occupational health clinics can be even worse with a waiting room piled up waiting to see the doctor. With this in mind, do you think that Job Dictionaries are catered for this?

Working as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist in the Workers Compensation scheme in Western Australia, I quite often see Job Dictionaries of patients that I am providing rehabilitation for. It stuns me that these documents are always in excess of 10 pages, and most recently came across a document that was 43 pages long. Just seeing the number of pages gave me flashbacks to studying English in high school and reading through lengthy, tedious texts.

As a result, the doctors don’t end up reading the Job Dictionary document and will either just ask the patient what their job role involves or just assess them as a generic patient. So, you have paid for a big document that nobody actually reads, and you are potentially having workers signed off totally unfit from work as the doctor doesn’t know what they actually do.

What needs to change then? To get the most out of your Job Dictionaries, a succinct breakdown of the core physical tasks in a short and easy to read document is crucial. Don’t think that longer and more detail is better as it just won’t be read. With this in mind, Absolute Balance created a two page, easy to read Job Dictionary to ensure that it wouldn’t be ignored by the treating GP.

For more information on how Absolute Balance can assist, please contact Aaron at Absolute Balance on 0499 919 670 or aaron@absolutebalance.com.au

Aaron McErlaine (BSc – ExHealth, BSc – ExRehab, Dip WHS, Cert IV TAE)
Health & Injury Prevention Services Manager (AEP) (ESSAM)

Prehabilitation in Workers Compensation: Enhancing Function, Reducing Downtime

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As the global population ages and the prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions continues to rise, the demand for orthopaedic surgeries has surged dramatically. With this increase comes a growing emphasis on not just the surgical intervention itself, but also on the preoperative phase as a critical window of opportunity to enhance patient outcomes. One of the most promising strategies emerging in this space is prehabilitation—a proactive, personalized approach to preparing patients physically and mentally for surgery. Prehabilitation can be broadly defined as a personalized exercise program designed to improve physical function and optimize recovery outcomes for any upcoming surgical intervention. In the context of workers compensation, prehabilitation offers additional value. By maintaining or even improving a patient’s physical function prior to surgery, individuals are often able to remain engaged in modified or light-duty work roles. This not only supports their psychological well-being and financial stability but also contributes to faster and more sustainable return-to-work outcomes post-surgery. A recent meta-analysis by Punnoose et al. 2023, found that a targeted prehabilitation program increased muscle strength, improved joint function and led to a higher health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores. These findings were consistent with patients undergoing Total Knee Replacements (TKR), Total Hip Replacements (THR) and lumbar spine surgery. Some clinical applications are listed below: Targeted approach of 4-6 weeks, with 2 sessions per week. This aligns with physiological evidence suggesting that a minimum of 4–6 weeks of strength training is needed for neuromuscular adaptations. Mixture of supervised and unsupervised intervention Multimodal programs (e.g. combining exercise with education or psychological support) may enhance outcomes By improving outcomes and reducing recovery timeframes, prehabilitation stands out as a cost-effective, proactive approach to treatment.  James Chandler Workers Compensation Specialist ‑ Team Leader South (AEP, ESSAM) Exercise Rehabilitation Services – WA

How to Fit Exercise into Your Lifestyle

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As Exercise Physiologists, a large part of our role is to empower an injured worker to integrate exercise into their lifestyle – something that is easier said than done for everyone! A common misconception about exercise, is that, for an effective workout, it must be a gruelling 1-hour session in a gym or a 10km stomach churning run, however this is not the case! Here are some alternatives and strategies to gradually make positive changes to your life: One easy way is to add movement to tasks you already do. Walking or biking instead of driving short distances, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, holding your newborn as you perform a few quick (and safe!) squats or completing short exercises during TV commercials are simple ways to stay active without setting aside extra time. Another is to schedule ‘mini’ workouts like any other appointment. Set aside just 20 to 30 minutes a few times a week—whether in the morning, during lunch, or in the evening. Utilising exercise equipment that we give you during our initial assessment and picking a handful of exercises that you may particularly enjoy, is a great shorter alternative. Treating these moments as important and ‘you’ time can help build a consistent habit. Exercising with others can make it more fun. Invite a friend for a walk, join a fitness class, or play a sport with family. When you combine social time with physical activity, it feels less like a task and more like enjoyment. The same goes for a sport or hobby that you may like, whether it’s swimming, yoga, hiking or dancing! Experimenting with the introduction of one of these strategies can be an easier first step to making a positive lifestyle change. With a little planning and creativity, exercise can become a natural part of your lifestyle, helping you stay healthy and energized without adding stress to your day. Alexander Gerry Workers Compensation Specialist (AEP, ESSAM) Exercise Rehabilitation Services – WA

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