Results of the 2025 National Return to Work Survey published

Safe Work Australia has published the results of the 2025 National Return to Work (NRTW) Survey, and the headline figure is a national return to work rate of 88.9% — down from 91.6% in 2021. The findings point to slower recovery pathways and a widening gap between physical and psychosocial recovery outcomes across Australian industry.

Safe Work Australia says the results offer essential insights for enhancing return-to-work outcomes and guaranteeing more equitable assistance for all injured employees.

“The survey findings show a decline in the rate of injured workers returning to work, with notable differences between outcomes for workers with physical and psychological injuries,” Safe Work Australia states.

Key findings from the 2025 survey

• The national return to work rate fell to 88.9% in 2025, easing from 91.6% recorded four years earlier.
• People with physical injuries recorded a 90.2% rate of resuming duties.
• Those recovering from psychosocial harm recorded 76.5% — a gap of almost 14 percentage points.
• Results reinforce that recovery-at-work planning must be tailored, not generic, for every employee.

Why the gap matters for safety professionals

Workers who sustained physical injuries had a return rate of 90.2%, surpassing the 76.5% return rate of their counterparts with psychological injuries. That difference tells safety teams something practical: psychosocial recovery generally needs longer timeframes, more coordinated health support and closer supervisor involvement.

For employers, sustaining a strong return to work rate is both a duty-of-care expectation and a measurable indicator of how well work health and safety obligations translate into day-to-day practice. Slower recovery pathways carry real costs — lost capability, reduced morale and prolonged absence from productive duties.

Practical steps to strengthen recovery outcomes

• Document each recovery pathway. A structured Return to Work Plan records suitable duties, review dates and responsibilities so nothing is left to memory.
• Train supervisors early. Frontline leaders influence recovery more than any policy document, so equip them to hold supportive conversations.
• Review your written procedures annually. Current safety documentation keeps treating practitioners, insurers and managers aligned.
• Benchmark against national trends. Compare internal performance with the results published by the regulator.

Wider context: the national strategy

These outcomes build on earlier tracking work. Our summary of the results from the 2021 National Return to Work Survey provides a useful comparison point, while the mid-term assessment of the National Return to Work Strategy 2020–2030 explains where reform efforts are heading. Earlier consultation on that strategy shows how industry feedback shaped current priorities.

Where to read the full findings

Complete 2025 NRTW Survey results are available directly from Safe Work Australia. Safety leaders reviewing recovery performance this year should read them alongside their own incident records and supervisor feedback.

Looking to modernise your recovery procedures? Explore our editable templates during National Safe Work Month 2025 offers and build safety systems that support every employee back to productive duties.