Gabrielle Lis
Biography
One of our most popular contributors, Gabrielle used her writing talents to develop easy to read content. Her articles are clear, practical and full of creative flair, providing an easily digestible and enjoyable way to keep best practices front of mind.
Gabrielle Lis joined Return to Work Matters in October 2008, while in the throes of the final months of an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne. Gabrielle was an assistant editor at RTWMatters until 2011, where she was able to combine her professional passions: writing and public policy advocacy.
Articles by ‘Gabrielle Lis’
When psychological claimants feel supported by their employer the RTW outlook is bright. Here we distil the advice of experts into a brief how-to guide to help you capitalise on the support advantage.
New research shows Australian employers delay and even avoid contact with workers who make psychological injury claims, and finds an association with poor outcomes for return to work.
Delaying contact with workers who’ve claimed for psychological injury can delay return to work. This article outlines why, how and when to make *that* call.
We summarise the Victorian Ombudsman's investigation into WorkSafe's handling of complex claims, which paints a picture of opportunistic insurers and systemic failings. Is WorkSafe ready to...
In which we introduce the National Return to Work Survey, describe how Dr Wyatt has analysed the results of the 2013 and 2014 surveys, and draw attention to the difference between correlation and...
Six apathy-busting tips for when supervisors just don't seem to care about managing RTW.
Effective upwards communication is good for your career and can help you establish a best practice injury management system. How is it done?
Think that 30-40 minutes of daily exercise gets an office-based workforce off the hook? Think again. Activity throughout the day is a must for good health.
How do managers and supervisors impact the mental and emotional wellbeing of their team? Is it possible to manage in a way that promotes good mental and emotional health?
Calculating the costs of absenteeism will help you make the case for better injury management systems and investment in health and wellbeing.
Making the business case for best practice injury management? There are simple methods to assist you in calculating the rate and cost of staff turnover in your organisation.
Richard Green, injury and claims manager with the CFA after Black Saturday, knows what to expect from disaster-exposed workers, and how to help them through.
Qantas at Brisbane Airport safely retains older manual handling workers by asking whether there is a match between required tasks and individual capacity...
Are you a RTW professional daunted by the prospect of working with a predominantly blue collar workforce? You're not alone. Here are ten tried and tested tips for building rapport.
Are your innovative ideas constantly met with suspicion? This case study from cotton-milling industrial revolution Scotland looks at how tact builds trust - and what squanders it.
Visiting injured workers at home and at work is an integral part of the Scenic Rim Regional Council's award winning injury management program. What makes this approach so effective?
If your injury management program isn't bridging the gap between the workplace and the doctor's office, an Occupational Therapist could help...
A prominent South Australian back surgeon has called for workers' comp for back pain to be scrapped. Why not fix treatment?
What is job strain? How is it linked to depression? And what are the associated costs? New Australian research has the answers...
What do gardening, work and dancing have in common? According to Occupational Therapist Sven Roehrs, each is an "occupation" and each has the potential to improve health and promote...
Workers' comp cases present GPs and other health professionals with opportunities for meaningful patient advocacy. How can these be seized?
Does job design affect health and performance in the workplace? And if so, how can jobs be redesigned to improve both?
From managing interactions with doctors, to writing useful and appropriate file notes, new RTWCs face many challenges. How can organisations help them get their bearings?
Know what you want from people at work, but not how to get it? Learn how to talk the talk, and frame your requests assertively.
Many Australians experience a mental disorder while also suffering from a musculoskeletal condition. Does one cause the other?
Is it possible to have too much optimism? And what's the best approach to take when you're confronted by someone else's pessimism?
Passive. Aggressive. Assertive. How does your professional communication style affect your working life?
What is optimism? How is it good for health? When is it wise, in professional life, to get your grin on?
Hang on! Isn't RTW supposed to be all about the love? We count down ten ways to improve tetchy worker / manager relationships.
You know organisational trust has tangible benefits. Now for the hard yards: how can you foster trust in your workplace and in your injury management system?
What is stigma? What are some consequences of stigma? How might stigma manifest in the workplace? And what can you do about it?
Trust is a key predictor of organisational success, says the Great Places to Work Institute. What matters is not only how much others trust you, but how trusting YOU are.
Psychologist Colin Thompson introduces us to Mindfulness Therapy, which has been shown to assist people with problems including anxiety, chronic pain and addiction.
The health and wellbeing of people with chronic illness improves when they become "self-managers". Are there lessons here for RTW?
We corral five notorious porky pies about work and ageing and pit them against the fast-draw facts.
Organisations who offer "good work" have fewer stress and musculoskeletal claims. Managerial competence helps determine whether work is "good". Are Australian organisations missing the...
An Italian entrepreneur has turned the Umbrian village of Solomeo into both a fashion factory, and an extraordinary experiment in workplace health and wellbeing.
In Australia and globally, preventable chronic diseases are on the rise. What does this mean for employers?
Taking ages to recover and return to regular duties after a workers' compensation claim? Make some noise!
This Q&A for employers covers the Who, What, When and How of Rehabilitation Providers
Researchers now know how tiny, drug-free needles kill pain. This briefing paper covers what acupuncture is, and what it's good for.
Shh! The low-down on confidentiality, return to work and workers' comp.
Do Australian training courses provide RTW Coordinators with the skills they need?
Are opioids a safe and effective treatment for acute pain? How about chronic pain? What are the risks and benefits?
When it comes to "invisible injury", what you CAN'T see CAN hurt you--and your RTW prospects. How can the workplace help?
Sometimes compensation systems, not injury, deliver the knock out blow. Don't let that happen to your workers!
How can employers avoid real (or perceived) discrimination and harassment during the RTW process?
Some people have a harder time managing their injury and returning to work than others. Are medical issues usually responsible?
How to take the long view and get where you want to go, faster.
Satisfaction with the claims process affects the long term financial, social and health outcomes of compensation recipients. How do we increase it?
You don't have to hang anybody out to dry to get your systems pegged. Instead, make plans and make friends.
Not every injured or ill worker has the "I think I can" attitude of the Little Engine That Could. But you can get them there!
We profile a success story in identifying and dismantling non-medical barriers to RTW at Concord Hospital, NSW
Keep workers and reduce sick leave with a dose of sick leave sugar (and a dash of lemon!)
A fact sheet about shoulder pain, including workplace contributions and solutions
A down-the-line serve about work and tennis elbow, including good news about recovery and prevention.
Sickness certificates can be dangerous. Proceed with caution!
Are over-worked, inexperienced and uncompassionate insurer staff jeopardising RTW outcomes?
Tips for supervisors who have their doubts about a worker's injury or compensation claim.
This final instalment provides tips for helping anxious employees maintain their cool and remain at work.
In part two of this three part series, we look at the personal, economic and work-related costs of anxiety.
This comprehensive guide to helping workers with back pain will have you donning lycra in no time...
tips for helping anxious employees maintain their cool and remain at work.
There are three golden rules for small business owners who doubt the work-relatedness of an injury...
The most common barriers to RTW are "psychosocial". Getting to know them makes it possible to overcome them.
A quick guide to the advantages and basic techniques of active listening.
A quick guide to minimising negative impacts of downsizing on workers' comp claims and return to work.
Feel like you've hit a brick wall? Practical tips to help you chisel away at it...
Bullying is bad for workplace health and bad for RTW. How widespread is it, and how does it impact on the field?
Hurdling with a briefcase is tough, so why not dismantle RTW relationship barriers before they trip you up?
Part One - What are the barriers to good doctor / employer relationships?
These practical industry insights will save you from having to grow an extra pair of arms...
This simple checklist will help you pinpoint the problem and jump start the process.
In which we ask: Who would benefit from CBT? How can you broach the subject of therapy in the workplace? How long does CBT take?
RTW motivation can be hard to muster...Unless you've had your dose of the RTWMatters motivational mojo!
In which we - and injured worker Ms W - learn that when you change your behaviour, you also change your thoughts, beliefs, feelings...and rehab prospects.
There's no question about it, injured workers need special treatment. Employers, here are ten ways to show workers you care...
If you're having trouble convincing injured or ill workers that early return to work is the best option, there are 5 things they need to know...
In which we - and injured worker Ms W - learn that 'C' is for 'Cognitive,' and that thoughts aren't facts.
Flesh out your arthritis knowledge with a to-the-point briefing paper...
Believe it or not, when conflict arises in RTW there ARE ways of dealing with it...
Practical tips for reducing musculoskeletal claims
The basics of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and how it can be used to resolve difficult RTW cases.
Identify high risk cases BEFORE they bite.
What happens in the first five minutes after injury affects health outcomes and costs. And your time starts...
Need some ammunition to make the case for investment in health and wellbeing? Look no further than our latest top ten...
Returning to work is even harder if the work itself feels meaningless. What makes a job meaningful?
How-to Guide: Using modified duties to promote durable return to work.
Missing a tram stop is the last thing fatigued workers should be worrying about. Try diabetes, heart disease, depression...
Conflict driving you crazy? Use it to drive innovation...
Ignoring the non-physical causes of musculoskeletal problems leads to very poor outcomes in this all too familiar case study.
The financial crisis provides employers opportunity to support employees to better health - but there are pitfalls to avoid.
The results of a Monash University study assessing the results of participation in the Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) are in: employee wellbeing improves when employers invest.
A short guide to surviving a downturn in business for busy RTW and OHS professionals.
Dr Steve Beller says 'Joy of living' is a much more powerful motivator than 'fear of illness and death'.
Every workplace has health champions and health underdogs. Motivating the latter can be a real challenge...
During recession, claim numbers go down but claim duration goes up. What happens to costs?
It's a waste to sweep cookie crumbs under the carpet, and the same goes for conflict. Don't ignore workplace conflict: manage it.
Assessing risk isn't about ticks and crosses in a box. So why do Australian workplaces tend to rely on manual handling checklists?
Ever wondered what it might be like to work with a mental illness, let alone return to work after a psychotic episode? We spoke to a group of people who've done it - and some of what they told us...
Unless plant closures and mass lay-offs are planned, workers' comp claim rates decline during recessions, but claim duration increases.
We take a look at the non physical work factors that contribute to musculoskeletal disorders
Getting back to work after illness or injury can be daunting. Stick to our top ten, however, and not only will you survive - you'll thrive.
Recognising conflict BEFORE you trip over it is essential for managing successful return to work.
Employers don't have to bend over backwards to reduce absenteeism and improve productivity. Just get flexible!
Remember how your mum taught you to turn lemons into lemonade? In this series of bite-sized articles, we make cookies out of conflict!
Workers' comp and RTW systems can exacerbate chronic pain, but as Coralie Wales from Chronic Pain Australia explains, that's not the end of the story...
We can't turn back the clock, but we can offer advice on how to minimise the impact of age on "work ability" in physically intensive industries.
Supervising return to work ain't easy...unless you've read our latest top ten!
A new UK report finds that RTW depression is widespread, even when physical illness is the reason for work absence. Employers can make a difference.
Changes to your injury management system can help reduce claim duration.
We talk trauma, recovery in the workplace and PTSD with Professor Mark Creamer from the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health.
Productive employment probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of depression. But helping employees with depression stay at work is good for everybody. Our top ten tips...
Dr Geoffrey Waghorn tells us about the importance of employment for people with severe mental illness - and how it's best achieved by simple, everyday good management.