Why ‘Counting Paperclips’ Hurts More Than It Helps in Return-to-Work Programs

When an injured employee returns to work under a transitional duty program, the goal should be more than simply having them “back on the clock.” It should be about reconnecting them to the work environment in a way that supports healing, preserves dignity, and maintains productivity.

Unfortunately, many return-to-work (RTW) programs miss the mark. Instead of meaningful tasks, some employees are handed low-value work—filing papers, organizing a back closet, or metaphorically counting paperclips. While these assignments might satisfy technical requirements, they can actually harm recovery, morale, and claim outcomes in significant ways.

Let’s explore why this approach fails and how employers can create more thoughtful, collaborative RTW strategies that actually work.

The Traditional Trap: Light Duty Without Purpose

In traditional RTW models, the employer often follows a rigid sequence:

• Get medical restrictions from the treating physician.

• Assign the employee a light-duty task that falls within those restrictions.

• Require the employee to return immediately, regardless of the assignment’s substance.

This often results in what’s known as a “make-work” job: something that keeps the employee busy but serves no real purpose—either to the business or the worker.

Examples include:

• Shuffling papers that no one will read

• Sitting at a desk with nothing to do

• “Helping” in a storage room for eight hours a day

While the intention might be to comply with RTW best practices, the unintended consequences are damaging.

Why Busywork Backfires

1. Psychological Harm
   Meaningless work can feel insulting or degrading to employees who were previously in demanding, skilled roles. It sends a message that they’re not truly valued—and that the company only cares about avoiding lost-time claims.

2. Increased Frustration and Resistance
   When employees feel their transitional duty is a punishment or a “gotcha,” they’re more likely to resist participation, delay recovery, or even seek legal representation. This leads to prolonged claims and higher costs.

3. Loss of Engagement
   Disconnected from their team and regular responsibilities, injured workers may begin to mentally check out. This disengagement can extend the recovery timeline, reduce morale, and increase turnover risk.

4. Triggers for Psychosocial Barriers
   Tasks that lack purpose can exacerbate psychosocial risk factors such as depression, anxiety, and perceived injustice. These barriers are strongly correlated with delayed recovery and poor claim outcomes.

A Better Approach: Collaborative Return-to-Work

Instead of assigning tasks to injured workers, effective employers work with them to find appropriate roles. A collaborative return-to-work model includes:

• Input from the injured employee

• Participation from supervisors and department heads

• Coordination with treating physicians or medical advisors

• Case manager involvement when appropriate

By giving the worker a voice in the process, the company sends a clear message:
“We value you, and we’re committed to helping you get better.”

How to Create Meaningful Transitional Duty

Here are steps employers can take to ensure assignments support—not sabotage—recovery:

1. Develop a Transitional Duty Job Bank

Maintain a list of pre-identified, medically appropriate tasks across departments. This allows for quick placement in meaningful roles, not last-minute busywork.

2. Ask Supervisors for Wish Lists

Department heads often have tasks they’ve been putting off—training documentation, safety audits, data cleanup. These can be productive projects for recovering employees.

3. Tailor Work to Medical Restrictions

Transitional duty should never exceed the employee’s physical limitations. But there’s almost always a way to adjust schedules, equipment, or duties to meet restrictions.

4. Rotate Tasks When Appropriate

If no single role can keep the employee engaged for a full day, consider rotating them through different departments or projects to keep the work stimulating and relevant.

5. Check In Regularly

Meet weekly with the injured employee to assess how things are going. Ask for feedback and adjust tasks as their recovery progresses. This reinforces that the program is built around support, not control.

Transitional Duty Is a Bridge, Not a Box

The goal of transitional duty is to help employees gradually increase their time and capability until they can return to full-duty work. It’s a bridge—between injury and full recovery—not a holding cell.

Done right, transitional duty:

• Reinforces identity and belonging

• Keeps employees connected to the workplace

• Encourages faster recovery

• Reduces the likelihood of litigation

• Lowers total claim costs

But when it’s reduced to paperclip-counting, the program fails both the worker and the organization.

Final Thoughts

The next time you’re assigning transitional duty, ask yourself:

Would I feel respected doing this work? Would I find purpose in it?

If the answer is “no,” it’s time to rethink the approach.

Because when you respect the person—not just the policy—you’ll see better outcomes across the board.

Michael Stack, CEO of Amaxx LLC, is an expert in workers’ compensation cost containment systems and provides education, training, and consulting to help employers reduce their workers’ compensation costs by 20% to 50%. He is co-author of the #1 selling comprehensive training guide “Your Ultimate Guide to Mastering Workers’ Comp Costs: Reduce Costs 20% to 50%.” Stack is the creator of Injury Management Results (IMR) software and founder of Amaxx Workers’ Comp Training Center. WC Mastery Training teaching injury management best practices such as return to work, communication, claims best practices, medical management, and working with vendors. IMR software simplifies the implementation of these best practices for employers and ties results to a Critical Metrics Dashboard.

Contact: mstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.

Workers’ Comp Roundup Blog: http://blog.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/

Injury Management Results (IMR) Software: https://imrsoftware.com/

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