That doesn’t mean supervisors need to be counselors or clinicians. It means teaching them to communicate with empathy, recognizing barriers to recovery and helping employees stay connected throughout the healing process.

Many construction employers are already making worker safety a greater priority. A 2026 survey of U.S. executives found that 83% plan to increase investments in worker safety this year. Training supervisors to support employees through every stage of recovery is a natural extension of those efforts—and one that recognizes successful recovery depends on supporting the whole person.

Recognize What Whole-Person Recovery Looks Like

One of the most important lessons supervisors and managers can learn is that recovery involves more than healing from physical injury. Supporting employees throughout recovery means recognizing factors can influence whether an employee is ready to return to work. Many of those factors extend beyond just a medical diagnosis. The traditional view of workers’ compensation often focuses on physical injury. Has the employee had surgery? Are they attending therapy appointments? What restrictions are in place? Those questions are important, but they don’t tell the whole story.

An employee recovering from a back injury may worry about whether co-workers resent having to cover their responsibilities. Someone returning after a fall may fear getting hurt again. Another employee may struggle with the financial implications of missing work, concerns about job security or the emotional and physical demands of rehabilitation. These factors can affect motivation, engagement and confidence throughout recovery, even when the injury itself is healing as expected.

Helping managers recognize these whole-person challenges doesn’t mean asking them to become counselors or medical professionals. It means equipping them to respond with empathy, maintain open communication and connect employees with appropriate resources when needed.

That support benefits both employees and employers. Workers who feel heard are more likely to stay connected to their workplace, remain engaged in recovery and return to work with greater confidence. Maintaining that trust may also reduce misunderstandings and frustration that sometimes can lead to workers’ compensation disputes or litigation.

Teach Supervisors How to Communicate Effectively

Interactions with supervisors significantly shape injured workers’ perception of the recovery process. Unfortunately, managers are rarely trained for these conversations. Without guidance, even well-intentioned questions such as, “When are you coming back?” can inadvertently increase stress or create pressure. When employers communicate you can positively impact the injured worker. A different approach can foster trust and maintain connection. Supporting the whole person starts with conversations that acknowledge the employee’s experiences and concerns—not just their medical restrictions.

Encourage supervisors to check in regularly and ask open-ended questions that demonstrate genuine concern. Examples include:

• How are you doing overall?
• What concerns do you have about returning to work?
• Is there anything about the recovery process that’s been particularly challenging?
• What questions do you have about what to expect moving forward?
• How can we support you during this transition?

What matters most in these conversations is consistency and authenticity.

Maintaining regular contact reinforces the employee is a valued member of the team. That sense of belonging may reduce feelings of isolation during an extended absence and help employees stay engaged throughout recovery.

Help Employees Navigate the Process

Recovery can become more difficult when employees are unsure about what comes next. Questions about appointments, paperwork, wage replacement and return-to-work expectations can add unnecessary stress during an already challenging time.

Training HR professionals and frontline leaders to explain the process clearly can alleviate some of that anxiety. Employees should have a clear understanding of what steps come next, who they can contact for questions and resource information available throughout recovery. Even simple explanations about modified-duty opportunities or anticipated timelines can help injured workers feel more informed, supported and confident about returning to work.

Partner With Insurers Early

Supporting the whole person may require resources that extend beyond medical treatment alone. This is where a good relationship with your workers’ compensation insurer is important—your company doesn’t have to navigate this alone. Workers’ compensation insurers can provide services that help address barriers to recovery while supporting successful outcomes. Employers should understand what services their insurer offers and how employees can access them promptly. Sentry, for example, uses data analytics to identify psychosocial factors that may complicate recovery. These factors can include fear of reinjury, prolonged pain concerns or other challenges that warrant additional support.

Early intervention may involve connecting employees with counseling resources, specialized pain management approaches or clinical programs tailored to their individual recovery needs. In some cases, innovative therapies such as virtual-reality-based treatment may complement more traditional recovery methods.

The objective is to help injured workers receive the right support at the right time so they can recover with confidence and successfully return to work.

Prepare Leaders to Support Return-to-Work Efforts

Returning to work is often viewed as the end of recovery. In reality, it’s another important phase of the process—and one that reflects how well employees have been supported throughout their journey. Construction employers can prepare supervisors to facilitate successful transitions back to the jobsite by developing clear return-to-work procedures and identifying opportunities for modified duties when appropriate.

Temporary adjustments may allow employees to contribute productively while continuing to heal. Just as importantly, returning to work can restore routine, rebuild confidence and reconnect employees with colleagues.

Training should address practical considerations such as understanding work restrictions, monitoring progress and maintaining communication throughout the transition period. It should also emphasize flexibility. Recovery trajectories differ from one employee to another, and supervisors may need to adapt accordingly.

Supporting employees through this stage reinforces that the organization values both their contributions and their long-term wellbeing.

A Shared Responsibility

Construction companies have long recognized the importance of training employees on injury prevention training. Preparing leaders to support employees after an injury deserves the same level of attention.

Helping injured employees return to work begins with recognizing that recovery is about more than healing a physical injury. Supervisors, project leaders and HR professionals all play a vital role in helping employees navigate recovery and return to work with confidence.

Leaders equipped to support the whole person can improve return-to-work outcomes, strengthen employee trust and reinforce the kind of workplace where people feel valued before, during and after an injury.

SEE ALSO: ONLY 20% OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS REPORT INJURIES LINKED TO MENTAL DISTRESS

The post How Construction Leaders Can Train Supervisors to Support Sustained Recovery of Injured Workers first appeared on Construction Executive.

Approximately 13% of injured workers are off the job for more than 90 days. These long-term absences not only disrupt projects but also drive up workers’ compensation claims disproportionately, burdening businesses with significant financial costs. Compounding the issue, less than 3% of WC claims are flagged for behavioral health conditions, chronic pain and chronic pain with medication use. Yet these cases account for 35% of all WC costs.

The impact of an injury extends beyond physical harm; individuals who experience an injury while working are twice as likely to suffer from serious psychological distress, including anxiety, depression and fear of reinjury or job loss, compared to their uninjured peers. According to historical data from Sentry Insurance, workers struggling with these psychological challenges can take twice as long to return to work and their claims are five times more likely to exceed $250,000 in WC expenses.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Both businesses and their injured employees can get back on track faster, reducing costs for employers and enhancing personal satisfaction for workers. The key lies in identifying and addressing the factors that keep injured workers off the job for extended periods.

An insurer’s data can match the right care at the right time for injured workers that helps them return to work quickly and safely, while controlling costs.

HOW EMPLOYERS CAN IMPROVE RECOVERY AND RETURN-TO-WORK OUTCOMES

When WC claims involve behavioral health issues, they can quickly escalate, often surpassing the costs associated with early, comprehensive intervention that addresses both physical and psychological needs.

Complex claims with behavioral health elements are also nearly twice as likely to result in litigation. Injuries complicated by psychological distress are also more likely to involve reliance on opioids, which—while sometimes necessary—carry substantial risks of dependence, misuse and increased costs. The potential for multiple surgeries also goes up with these claims, further prolonging recovery. Identifying behavioral health risks early allows for preventative care, reducing the risk of excessive, invasive treatments.

Employers who support injured workers through empathy and communication can help them return to work faster, cutting WC costs and stabilizing the workforce.

Here are four best practices employers can adopt to improve the odds of a successful, faster recovery:

1. Maintain Communication With Injured Workers

Ongoing, personal communication is key to maintaining the emotional and psychological wellbeing of injured workers. Regular check-ins, supportive messages or visits from supervisors help injured employees feel connected and valued during their recovery. This personal touch helps alleviate anxiety, clarifies the often complex workers’ compensation process and provides reassurance that the company cares about the worker’s wellbeing. These human connections are essential for creating a sense of security and belonging, and help facilitate a smoother and more positive transition back to work.

2. Recognize the Employer’s Impact on Recovery

Employers can have a strategic impact on the recovery process by actively shaping the path back to work for injured employees. Implementing structured return-to-work programs that offer modified duties or light work can help employees re-engage, even if just for a few hours a day. This approach not only reduces financial stress but also reinforces a sense of purpose, making workers less likely to seek legal repercussions. By setting clear expectations and providing a defined roadmap for recovery, employers demonstrate their commitment to employee wellbeing and create a supportive environment that motivates injured workers to return as soon as they are able. Some insurers administer modified duty programs for employers that are unable to.

3. Collaborate With Insurer to Use Data Effectively

Employers should leverage the wealth of data available from insurers and benefits providers to identify and address psychosocial issues that impact worker recovery. Asking the right questions of a carrier—for example, what are they doing to support workers facing psychological barriers, such as fear of reinjury—can lead to meaningful improvements. A carrier can partner with employers to actively analyze claims data and use advanced analytics to identify risk and develop targeted treatment options for injured workers who may benefit from early interventions. The goal is to turn data insights into actionable strategies that improve and hasten recoveries.

4. Tailor Treatment Plans

Employers should require their insurance providers to go beyond traditional approaches like telephonic-nurse case management, which, while helpful, may not be sufficient for workers facing prolonged recovery. By creating predictive models from claims data, insurers can help employers identify high-risk cases early and implement proactive measures that enhance recovery. Early intervention can be transformative, especially for workers stuck in long-term claims.

Tailored managed care plans, including virtual-reality therapy, professional counseling without an official diagnosis, and pharmacy clinical management tools, provide comprehensive support. These plans, overseen by a nurse case manager, help guide workers through recovery, reduce claim lengths and speed up the return-to-work process.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CARRIER

To improve recovery outcomes, employers should collaborate with carriers who understand the construction industry’s unique challenges and can leverage data to reduce claims. Early identification of workers who need extra support—at about 90 days off work—is key to helping them achieve their best post-injury recovery and return-to-work.

By rethinking their approach, employers and insurers can improve outcomes for all by investing in behavioral-health resources and retraining staff to address these risks proactively.

The post Four Steps to Reduce Workers’ Compensation Costs first appeared on Construction Executive.