Webinar highlights: How Silver Fern Farms reversed the time off work trend
With Forum's 2025 State of a Thriving Nation report highlighting a significant increase in time away from work following an injury, improving return-to-work outcomes continue to be a major discussion point for business leaders.
By shifting from fragmented, reactive care to a streamlined, outcome-based recovery pathway, Silver Fern Farms has reduced delays, improved employee experience and achieved significantly faster return-to-work outcomes.
In this series of webinar highlights, we brought together insights from Kurt Thomas, National Health and Wellbeing Manager at Silver Fern Farms, and Mark Shirley, Chief Innovation Officer at Habit Health.
If you find the videos useful, please like and share them.
1. The challenge of navigating a complex health system
Returning to work after an injury isn't always straightforward. This highlight explores the challenges Silver Fern Farms and their workers faced navigating the health system.
↓
2. Streamlined Recovery Pathway: an outcome-based solution
Many return-to-work services are delivered in isolation. In this highlight, Mark explains how Silver Fern Farms shifted toward outcome-based care focusing on better overall recovery results.
↓
3. Targeting the right people
Targeting the right people is key to better outcomes. In this highlight, Mark shares how Silver Fern Farms prioritised workers with complex injuries and focused on early intervention to support faster, more successful recovery.
↓
4. "It pays to care": employer's role in a successful return-to-work programme
Workplace support can make or break a return-to-work journey. This highlight is a powerful reminder that reserch shows positive employer responses can significantly improve recovery, while conflict can delay it.
Resource mentioned in the video: www.itpaystocare.org
↓
5. Leader's response matters
Leader's language and behaviour can directly shape an employee's entire recovery journey. Hear Kurt explain why a leader's initial response to an injury report is so vital.
↓
6. The ROI of better care
Silver Fern Farms achieved better outcomes from investing smarter - not spending less. In this video, hear the significant impact of Silver Fern Farms' approach: reducing return-to-work timeframes and overall costs, even in a high-risk industry.
↓
7. What works: key messages from Silver Fern Farms' journey
From early intervention, to building leader capability and strong partnerships with healthcare providers, take a practical look at what truly made a difference in Silver Fern Farms' return-to-work journey.
↓