Australia’s report highlights importance of early intervention in workplace injury
SYDNEY, Australia, 19 May 2026 – Sedgwick has released a report focused on the role of early intervention in supporting injured workers and improving workplace outcomes for Australian employers. Workplace injury continues to present significant human, operational and financial challenges, with 146,700 serious workers’ compensation claims recorded in 2023-24, or more than 400 cases a day.
The report brings together authoritative Australian data from 2019-2025 to examine the current state of workplace injury, return to work outcomes following injury and the measurable cost of ineffective injury management. It highlights the scale and persistence of the issue, including that 21.3% of serious claims result in 13 weeks or more time lost from work, reinforcing the longer-term impact on both employees and employers.
It also examines how immediate, proactive support following a workplace injury or illness can help organisations reduce disruption, support employee recovery and drive safer, more sustainable return-to-work outcomes. It explores the challenges organisations face when injuries are not addressed early and outlines key considerations for embedding early intervention into workplace practices. When delays occur, the risk of prolonged absence increases significantly, with the likelihood of returning to work dropping to around 70% after 20 days away and approximately 35% after 70 days.
Early intervention plays a critical role in injury response by encouraging prompt reporting, reducing the escalation of minor injuries and supporting employees before injuries become more complex or prolonged. For employers, this approach can help minimize the physical, psychological and financial impact of workplace injuries while reinforcing a culture of care and safety. This is reflected in outcomes, where workers who receive early employer support are almost twice as likely to return to work compared to those who do not (51% compared to 27.2%).
“Early intervention is one of the most effective ways organisations can improve outcomes following a workplace injury,” said Christina Wunder, Head of Sedgwick Health Solutions in Australia. “By engaging employees early, providing immediate guidance and support, and removing barriers to care, organisations can help people recover sooner and return to work safely and confidently.”
The full report is available to download here.
About Sedgwick Health Solutions
In the early 2000s, Sedgwick Health Solutions (formerly Direct Health Solutions) was established as the first company in Australia to introduce a nurse-led telehealth absence management service. Today we operate the country’s largest 24×7 telehealth nurse contact centre providing medical triage and management advice, and referral to Australia’s most extensive preferred network of occupationally trained doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists. We are the go-to organisation for early intervention, absence management, injury management, safety and incident management, and medical services spanning pre-employment testing, on-line health assessments and more. We exist to transform businesses and the working lives of all Australians.
For more information, visit sedgwickhealthsolutions.com.au.
About Sedgwick
Sedgwick is the world’s leading risk and claims administration partner, helping clients thrive by navigating the unexpected. The company’s expertise, combined with the most advanced AI-enabled technology available, sets the standard for solutions in claims administration, loss adjusting, benefits administration and product recall. With over 33,000 colleagues and 10,000 clients across 80 countries, Sedgwick provides unmatched perspective, caring that counts, and solutions for the rapidly changing and complex risk landscape. Sedgwick’s majority shareholder is The Carlyle Group; Stone Point Capital LLC, Altas Partners, CDPQ, Onex and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see sedgwick.com.
