35.7 weeks. That’s the average length of time an employee will miss while recovering from a work-related psychological injury – nearly five times longer than for any other type of workplace injury.

For NFPs operating with smaller teams, an absence like this can place enormous strain on staff capacity and delay getting good work done.

To help address this challenge, the Black Dog Institute – one of Australia’s leading mental health research NFPs – has just released a toolkit with tools designed to help employers better support staff recovering from psychological injury.

The resource offers practical strategies – including navigating difficult conversations, adjusting workloads and helping an injured team member regain confidence in their role.

For NFP leaders and managers in particular, creating psychologically safe pathways back to work is becoming a core responsibility. Done well, it protects employee wellbeing and strengthens long-term retention. Neglected, it can accelerate burnout and increase the risk of losing valued team members altogether.

So, what does effective support after psychological injury actually look like? We take a closer look at the toolkit and unpack its key tools.

What is psychological injury?

According to Safe Work Australia, psychological injury in the workplace refers to a range of conditions affecting a person’s mental health that have been triggered or exacerbated by their work environment. This can include conditions such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Black Dog notes that, unlike physical injuries, psychological injuries are often less visible and can be harder for managers and colleagues to recognise or understand. In NFP workplaces in particular, they may not stem from a single traumatic event, but instead build gradually through vicarious trauma, sustained emotional pressure, exposure to distressing situations, high workloads or ongoing workplace stress.

When a team member has experienced a work-related psychological injury, their supervisor or manager can play a key role in supporting recovery and helping them return safely to work. Here are five tools to help you do just that:

Tool 1: A conversation guide for  open communication about mental health

Supporting a team member through a psychological injury starts with trust. That means approaching conversations with genuine empathy and care, focusing on listening and understanding rather than immediately trying to “fix” the problem.

Create space for the team member to share only what they feel comfortable discussing, and avoid pressuring them for details. Questions like, “What does support look like for you right now?” or “How can I help make things more manageable this week?” can help guide the discussion in a constructive way.

Start these discussions early, in a time and place where the team member feels safe. Regular check-ins and clear, empathetic communication can help staff feel less isolated and more supported throughout recovery.

-> Download now: Conversation Guide: Mental Health-Related Stigma in the Workplace (ComCare)

Tool 2: Facilitate reasonable workplace adjustments

Supporting a team member’s recovery often involves adapting their work environment or responsibilities to better match their current capacity. These changes are known as reasonable adjustments and are designed to reduce barriers at work and help staff perform their roles safely and effectively. Reasonable adjustments might include flexible hours, modified duties, physical workplace changes or additional support during recovery.

Where practicable, the return-to-work process should support the injured team member to remain in, or return to, their original role – or one of equivalent capacity and responsibility. The guide linked below gives an in-depth how-to to work closely with individuals to facilitate reasonable adjustments in accordance with their capacity and any recommendations from a health professional.

-> Download now: Work-related psychological health and safety: A systematic approach to meeting your duties (Safe Work Australia)

Tool 3: Identify and fix psychosocial hazards

Supporting recovery also means addressing the workplace factors that may have contributed to the injury in the first place. Psychosocial hazards are workplace factors that can negatively impact a person’s mental health – such as excessive workloads, poor role clarity, workplace conflict, bullying, low job control or exposure to distressing material or experiences.

Employers have a responsibility to identify and manage these risks to ensure staff are returning to a psychologically safe workplace. You can do this by consulting with staff, reviewing workloads and workplace practices, strengthening reporting processes and ensuring team members have appropriate support and supervision.

Once a psychological injury has occurred, organisations may be considered on notice of the risk of further harm, making it even more important to address underlying issues and minimise ongoing psychosocial risks wherever reasonably practicable.

-> Download now: Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work (Safe Work Australia)

Tool 4: Rebuild confidence through a structured return-to-work process

Recovery from psychological injury is rarely linear, which is why ongoing support and communication are so important throughout the return-to-work process. Plan regular check-ins throughout recovery to help staff feel supported and identify whether any adjustments to workloads may be needed.

In some circumstances, it can be helpful to develop a return-to-work plan in collaboration with the team member – outlining agreed duties, hours, workplace adjustments, support measures and review dates. The tools below provide a structure to support this process.

Managers should also stay alert to early warning signs that a team member may be struggling, such as withdrawal from colleagues, increased absences, difficulty concentrating, reduced participation, changes in behaviour or complaints about workload pressures. Responding early and maintaining open communication can help prevent further harm and support a safer, more sustainable recovery at work.

-> Download now: Return to Work discussion or interview guide (Return to Work)

-> Download now: Recover at work planning tool (SIRA)

-> Download now: Developing a return-to-work plan (Safe Work Australia)

Tool 5: Foster a supportive workplace culture

Managers and supervisors also play an important role in shaping a mentally healthy workplace culture that supports recovery and helps prevent further harm.

This might look like leaders speaking openly about mental health, encouraging healthier work practices and creating a culture where staff feel safe discussing wellbeing concerns without fear of judgement. It is also important to understand and educate staff about the mental health supports, policies and return-to-work processes available within your organisation.

-> Download now: Better Practice Guide: Supporting return to work (ComCare)

-> Download now: Managing the relationship with an injured or ill worker during return to work: A guide for supervisors (Safe Work Australia)

—

Recovery from psychological injury is rarely straightforward, but supportive leadership can make a meaningful difference to how team members experience that process. For NFPs, this is ultimately about protecting the people behind the work – and creating a workplace they feel safe returning to for the long run.

—

Not-For-Profit People is an initiative of EthicalJobs.com.au — Australia’s top job-search site for the not-for-profit sector and beyond. 10,000 Australian charities, not-for-profits and social enterprises use EthicalJobs.com.au to find dedicated and passionate staff and volunteers to help them work for a better world. Find out more at EthicalJobs.com.au/advertise