Work In Context for employers
What would 35.7 weeks without one of your people cost you?
That's the median time off for a psychological injury claim in Australia. Our approach is proactive: we help employers act early, coordinate return to work and make practical workplace adjustments.
A team led by Anika Synthi, Occupational Therapist and Managing Director, with frameworks built from almost a decade across clinical workplace rehabilitation, outsourced return to work coordination and claims management.
Median time off work
Medians for 2022–23. Safe Work Australia, Key WHS Statistics 2025
Source: Safe Work Australia, Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2025
Run your own numbers
What could time away cost your business?
Insurers generally cover weekly payments, but cover staff and management time usually sit with you. Put in your own figures to see what they can add up to.
35.7 weeks is the median time off for a psychological claim (Safe Work Australia, 2022–23). Illustrative only: it uses your figures, not claim or premium costs. Outcomes and savings aren't guaranteed.
Estimated cost to your business
$61,047
Every week back sooner on suitable duties is worth about $1,710.
Talk through your numbersWhat the law asks
Psychological risk is now a work health and safety duty.
General information, not legal advice. WHS requirements vary by state and territory.
Psychosocial hazards
Model WHS laws were updated in 2022. Employers must identify psychosocial hazards, such as high work demands, bullying and harassment, and control the risks like any other hazard.
Reasonable adjustments
Under the Disability Discrimination Act, employers must make reasonable adjustments for a worker with disability, unless that causes unjustifiable hardship.
What helps
How an employer responds early makes a measurable difference.
Best practice for psychological claims includes early, supportive contact, a return to work plan and meaningful suitable duties.
Safe Work Australia, Taking Action framework (2018), citing National Return to Work Survey data
Find the right starting point
Where is your workplace right now?
Early intervention and adjustments
An OT looks at expectations, workload, sensory demands and practical adjustments early, while issues are still small. Clear notes for managers, with the worker's consent.
Services
Psychological injury and workplace adjustments, from people who've worked inside the claims system.
Early intervention and neuroinclusion
An OT explores expectations, workload, sensory demands and adjustments, early, while issues are still small.
Outsourced injury management
Fractional support for psychological and physical injury claims, for an agreed number of hours.
Return to work coordination
Suitable duties, recovery at work plans and clear communication with the worker, their doctor and your insurer.
Manager training and workshops
Practical learning on neuroinclusion, mental load and adjustment conversations.
Who leads the team
A team led by someone who's worked inside the claims system.
Your support is delivered by In Context's allied health team, who have worked in the claims space, led by Anika Synthi. The frameworks they work from come from Anika's almost a decade inside the workers compensation system, on both sides: clinical workplace rehabilitation, and outsourced return to work coordination and claims management for employers.
Along the way she moved from occupational therapist to Team Leader, account manager and Team Manager, acting as injury manager, claims manager and outsourced return to work coordinator for TMF agencies and private companies, with national portfolios across construction, local government, distribution and community services. She understands claims and cost mitigation through a clinical lens, and her frameworks are proactive: built to act early, not wait for a claim to escalate.
The experience behind our frameworks
- Knows PIAWE, entitlement step downs and employer obligations across national schemes
- Developed an early intervention letter to GPs for psychological claims
- Retrained RTW staff ahead of a legislative change to employment incentives
- Oversaw SIRA and NDIS accreditation, quality frameworks and file audits
- Workplace assessments across construction, healthcare, education and community services
- Has delivered mental health, drug and alcohol and manual handling training for workplaces
- Clinical educator for University of Sydney OT student placements
- Attended icare's 2026 briefing on changes to psychological claims
Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy), University of Sydney. Advanced Diploma in CBT. Certificate in DBT. Ahpra registered since 2020.
Where the return comes from
Four places early support can pay off.
Fewer weeks off
A psychological claim runs a median 35.7 weeks, so every week back sooner counts.
A supported first response
Early contact and one clear plan with the worker, their doctor and the insurer.
Low cost adjustments
Many cost little. Our free guide lists 20, most under $100.
Only the hours you need
Fractional injury management and RTW coordination, with no full time salary.
A full time hire compared with fractional support
| Full time coordinator | Fractional, with Work In Context | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | A salary and on costs, every week | An agreed number of hours, scoped to your needs |
| Who you deal with | One person, and cover for their leave | A dedicated account manager, backed by mental health OTs |
| When it starts | After recruitment and onboarding | Once scope, availability and fees are confirmed |
Recovery outcomes, claim savings and premium reductions aren't guaranteed.
How it works
An extension of your team, with a clear scope.
- 01
Scoping call
Tell us about your workplace and any current claims. We confirm scope, availability and fees before any work begins.
- 02
An agreed plan
Fractional, on site or virtual support for an agreed number of hours, with one account manager.
- 03
Early, coordinated support
Early contact, a recovery at work plan and suitable duties, coordinated with the worker, their doctor and your insurer.
- 04
Review and adjust
We review progress and adjust the plan before demands increase.
Clear roles, consent first
Everyone keeps their part. We work within an agreed scope, alongside your team, the worker's treating practitioners and your insurer.
- You keep your legal duties as the employer.
- Treating practitioners keep clinical decisions.
- Insurers keep claim decisions.
- An employer arrangement doesn't give unrestricted access to personal health information.
- Coordinator appointments are scoped to your state or territory's requirements.
Free guide
20 workplace adjustments, most under $100.
A two page guide for managers and HR, written by mental health OTs. Clearer instructions, a quieter workspace, new ways to organise tasks, and 17 more.
Book a 20 minute scoping call
Tell us what your workplace needs.
We'll confirm scope, availability and fees before any work begins.
Questions employers ask
How do you work with our insurer and our team?
Within an agreed scope. You keep your legal duties as the employer, treating practitioners keep clinical decisions and insurers keep claim decisions. We coordinate between everyone so the plan stays clear.
What information is shared with us as the employer?
Only what the agreed work needs, with the worker's consent. An employer arrangement doesn't give unrestricted access to personal health information.
Where do you work?
We welcome enquiries from across Australia. Support is on site in Sydney and South West Sydney, and virtual arrangements are confirmed for each organisation.
Is a scoping call a commitment?
No. We confirm scope, availability and fees before any work begins, so you can decide with the full picture.