January 5 Is the Day You Can Feel the Value of Return to Work
January 5, 2026.
Today is one of my favorite days of the year.
Not because it’s easy — but because you can feel return to work more today than almost any other day.
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“13 Research Studies to Prove Value of Return-to-Work Program & Gain Stakeholder Buy-In”
After a couple of weeks off for the holidays, getting out of bed, getting back into routine, and shifting out of vacation mode can be challenging for all of us. And that challenge is exactly what makes today so valuable when we talk about return to work in workers’ compensation.
Why Getting Back Into Routine Is So Hard
After time off, everything feels harder.
The morning routine is off. The kids are arguing about oatmeal. Shoes aren’t where they’re supposed to be. You’ve gotten used to a slower pace — and breaking that rhythm takes effort.
That same dynamic happens when someone is out of work due to an injury.
Trying to make a major change in routine is challenging for all of us. The longer we’re away, the harder it becomes to return.
And today — January 5 — we can feel that reality more clearly than almost any other day of the year.
Why Return to Work Is So Powerful
Return to work isn’t just a policy or a best practice.
It’s about preventing new routines from forming.
The longer someone stays out of work, the more comfortable those new habits become — and the harder it is to reverse them. That’s where the real risk begins.
The Statistics That Make the Case
The data on return to work is clear — and dramatic.
Less Than 12 Weeks Matters
If an injured employee returns to work within 12 weeks, 92.2% of people will ever return to work in some capacity.
And ideally, we want to do much better than that.
The gold standard is:
- 95% of injured employees returning to work within 0–4 days
That early return prevents new routines from ever taking hold.
After 12 Weeks, Everything Changes
Once someone is out of work for more than 12 weeks, the numbers drop sharply.
- Only 55.4% of people ever return to work
Ever.
That’s not a gradual decline — it’s a cliff.
Comfort sets in. New habits form. And the likelihood of a successful return drops dramatically.
Long-Term Absence Is Devastating
As time goes on, the outlook gets even worse.
- After 104 weeks (two years), only 4.9% of people ever return to work
If someone is out of work for more than two years, there’s only about a 5% chance they’ll ever return.
That’s the human cost — and the financial cost — of delayed return to work.
Why Today Makes This So Real
Today is valuable because we can feel what these statistics mean.
We all know how difficult it is to break vacation habits and get back into routine after just a couple of weeks. Now imagine trying to do that after months — or years — away from work.
That’s why return to work is one of the most fundamentally effective strategies you can implement.
Not just in 2026 — but in 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, and every year moving forward.
Return to Work Is a Human Strategy
Return to work works because it keeps people connected — to purpose, to routine, and to their workplace.
It protects employees from drifting into long-term disability.
And it protects organizations from runaway costs and broken outcomes.
FREE DOWNLOAD: “13 Research Studies to Prove Value of Return-to-Work Program & Gain Stakeholder Buy-In”
Final Thought
Your work today in workers’ compensation can have a dramatic impact on your company’s bottom line.
But it can also have a dramatic impact on someone’s life.
So be great.
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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