Your recovery at work guide

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‘How to recover at work’

We see Cameron sitting down with his hand and wrist in a black brace. He’s flexing his hand to check how it’s healing.

Narrator: If you’re injured and can’t work, that’s not ideal.

The camera zooms out and we can see that Cameron is in a large warehouse with a row of five chairs and a row of six stools behind them. His employer, Rua, walks in from the left and greets him with a fist pump and hug. He places a sign at his feet that says ‘Cameron Bruce’s Recovery Team’.

Narrator:  But if you’re able to take on some light duties, or even help out part-time, there are real benefits in recovering at work.

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Recovery at work helps you

• Return to your usual role
• Look after your physical and mental wellbeing.

Narrator: You’re much more likely to go back to your old role, and it’s better for your physical and mental wellbeing.

We see workmates with high-vis vests, healthcare providers, and whānau join the scene, greet Cameron and take a seat around him.

Narrator: But it takes a team and there’s a few steps you’ll need to go through first.

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Get a medical certificate

Narrator: You’ll need to see a doctor or nurse practitioner for a medical certificate. This will give you and your employer an idea of what tasks you can take on.

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Have a kōrero with your employer and make a recovery plan together.

Narrator: Then you can arrange a kōrero with your employer and make a recovery plan together. There’s more about how to do this on our website.

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Register for MyACC to:

• apply for weekly compensation
• upload documents
• receive help with travel and equipment.

Narrator: Next, sign up to MyACC. There you can apply for weekly compensation and keep an eye on everything you’ll need to know, as well as upload any documents we may require. We may also be able to help with some travel costs and any special equipment you might need.

We see Cameron’s team taking their place around him, ready for their team photo. A photographer takes the team photo.

There’s a camera flash and then we see the team photo presented in a blue photo frame. Then we see the team getting ready to get back to work.

Narrator: And then you can concentrate on getting better and back to your usual mahi. Keep in touch with your employer and use the resources on our website, because teamwork makes recovery work.

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Kia mahitahi, kia whakaora

Teamwork makes recovery work

We see the ACC logo.

Audio: gentle music 

Visual: Mayu Tanigaito, a ballet dancer wearing dark blue trackpants and t-shirt, puts on a pair of pointe shoes 

Transcript: VOICE OF MAYU TANIGAITO 

It was great to be able to recover at work while I was doing my rehab. 

Visual: Mayu stretches in the studio whilst talking to two fellow Royal New Zealand dancers who are sitting on the floor 

Audio: Connecting with work means connecting with those people. 

You know, you feel like you're living your life still. 

Visual: Mayu performs five pirouette turns then stretches her arms out to finish 

Kia ora. My name is Mayu Tanigaito. 

Visual: Mayu sits on a chair in the main studio of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, with large mirrors behind her 

Audio: I'm Principal Dancer with the Royal New Zealand Ballet. 

This is my 12th year with the company. 

 Visual: Mayu leaps across a sunlit studio wearing a white, classical tutu, with other similarly dressed female dancers in the background 

Audio: I was trying to do this one big jump and taking off I felt like all the sudden, like a weird feeling in my knee.  

Visual: Mayu performs on stage in the lead roles of Romeo and Juliet, and Giselle 

Audio: That injury kind of reminded me how special to be on stage in front of the audience and sharing the feeling with the audience. I was trying to come back to dancing, but my body telling me stop dancing because it's just not right. 

Visual: A lower leg shot of Mayu pointing and stretching her feet 

TEXT ON SCREEN: 

Mayu went on a Recovery at Work programme involving ACC, the RNZB and health providers, which allows people to do alternative duties while they recover from injury. 

Visual: Mayu speaks to camera 

Audio I went to our Royal New Zealand Ballet physio.  

Visual: a diagram of a knee joint showing the anterior cruciate ligament 

Audio I went to take MRI and then, you know, you can really clearly see ACL is gone. 

Visual: Mayu speaks to camera 

Audio ACL recovery has like a strict protocol to follow. So first six months, I'm not allowed to start dancing at all. 

Because of my age too like I decided to take a little bit longer time. 

Visual: Mayu working on her strength and flexibility in the studio 

Audio: So, like, ACC gave me help to get into gyrotonics and Pilates. Try to get strength back, try to get flexibility back for that first six months. 

Visual: Mayu looks out the large window of the studio 

Audio So even though I'm not able to dance, company gave me to do some work. 

Visual: Photos of Mayu with young dancers and doing exercises with residents of a retirement village 

Audio For example, like a Ryman Healthcare visit. They were making a new programme for the older people to start moving their body and stuff like that. Yeah, that was really fun actually. 

Visual: A man stands on the main studio of the Royal New Zealand Ballet and addresses the camera 

VOICE OF DAVID MCALLISTER, ACTING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, RNZB: 

Audio: I think the most important thing for when you have a long term injury with the dancer in the company is you want to keep them involved in the organisation and also support them because it's not just a physical thing that they're dealing with. 

It's a very emotional thing. 

Visual: Mayu performing on a black and white contemporary ballet film  

Audio: And, you know, one day you're jumping around with the rest of the company and the next day, you know, you could be by yourself in a gym doing squats or something like leg press. 

So it's really important to maintain that relationship with the dancer  

Visual: David speaks to camera 

Audio: and for them to feel like the company hasn't moved on without them, that they are really still an integral part of the organisation. 

Visual: Mayu performs ballet barre exercises in the studio 

TEXT ON SCREEN: 

Research shows that recovering at work can be good for a person's physical and mental wellbeing. 

ACC can provide a rehabilitation programme, financial support, equipment and transport. 

Visual: Mayu in studio tying her pointe shoes, stretches her feet and legs and talks to fellow dancers. 

VOICE OF MAYU TANIGAITO 

Audio: It was great to come to the company to start rehabbing soon as possible so that I can keep my routine, so I can have motivation. I can have like mentally: 'Yes, I want to come back dancing.' Yeah, everyone was like "Oh, I'm so excited for you to come back.” They're like giving me so much positive energy.  

Visual: Mayu speaks to camera 

Audio: So I definitely needed that. If I had to stay at home, have to do rehab by myself that's too difficult.  

Visual: Dancers in over-the-top wigs and make up clink champagne glasses as Mayu rushes past them and hits one with a balloon. 

Audio: Before, I never thought about it, but like now I'm like, this might be my last (time on) stage. 

Visual: Mayu dancing various roles on stage 

Audio: So, like, I'm just going to enjoy it and try to put everything out there to share with the audience and just really enjoy that moment. 

Visual: Mayu speaks to camera 

Audio: Yeah, that's probably one thing that's changed. 

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Recovery at Work takes a team effort – from the injured person, their employer, and their health provider, as well as their whānau and workmates. Learn more about what role you can play in recovery at work at acc.co.nz  

Teamwork makes recovery work 

With special thanks to the RNZB 

ACC and RNZB logos