They’re not just claims. They’re people. With families, friends, goals and dreams.
When a person is injured at work, the implications can go far beyond their ability to perform a task during their workday. Yes, delivering a package, driving a truck, serving customers in a retail store – those all have to be put on pause.
But so does the injured worker’s life. In an instant, they are unable to earn money, pursue their dreams and often times connect with the outside world in a meaningful way. How will they provide for their family? What does this mean for their future? Will they be able to walk, move or lift their children again?
The impact on your business
Employees are the lifeblood of business and you want yours to be operating as optimally as possible. There’s likely a good reason you hired this individual in the first place. Perhaps they hold a hard-to-find credential or have the perfect demeanor for working with your customers. No matter the reason, you need your employees back in action as soon as they are medically released to return.
Unfortunately, the longer an employee is out of work, the risks of negative claim experiences compound.
At best, a prolonged or negative workers compensation experience can leave a bad taste in an employee’s mouth.
At worst? They never come back. Claims enter litigation. Negative messages are spread on social media. Employee morale erodes. Your brand faces negative PR and a tarnished reputation.
The injured worker’s volatile perspective
From the employee side, the situation is much more personal. Their livelihood, autonomy, and ticket to freedom are gone.
For many, their identity leans on providing for and bringing a sense of security to, their family. Remove it and the foundation positive self-perception can rot away. The longer it takes for them to heal, the lower their sense of self-worth falls, and the less likely they may be to return to work at all. How they think, feel and behave, while subjective, are important factors in recovery. All of this may exacerbate conditions such as heart disease, stroke, obesity, substance abuse and mental health issues, to name only a few.
This all comes at a financial cost.
Workplace injuries are costly. Indirect costs alone, employers in the US pay an estimated $1 billion per week for lost time, medical and legal services. (OSHA 2018).
What about indirect costs? Because they are difficult to fully attribute, the estimates range from 3-10X the direct costs. Using a relatively conservative, commonly accepted 4X multiplier, the indirect costs to employers balloon to $200B+ annually.
What if there was a better way to manage claims?
A holistic, approach focused on employee advocacy and engagement creates an environment where everyone wins.
In this scenario, employers can:
- Foster a positive employee/employer relationship
- Lower litigation rates and costs
- Reduce operational loss from employee absence
- Improve closure outcomes
And employees are part of a program focused on:
- A more positive claims experience
- Optimized medical outcomes
- A safe and timely return to work
Built around you: Broadspire’s approach to injured worker advocacy
As each person is different, so is each business. Advocacy models are not “one size fits all”. They should be carefully crafted to meet the goals of the employer, the needs of employees, and the common risk factors faced within the business.
Our advocacy and engagement model generates positive outcomes through:
- First understanding what advocacy means to you and your program
- Demonstrating respect & exhibiting empathy
- Being responsive & informational
- Emphasizing physical and psychosocial wellbeing of the injured worker
- Support from technology, analytics and tools such as employee assistance programs
- Aligning actions across the life of the claim for financially optimal results
Your employees benefit from traditional and non-traditional workers compensation recovery plans to help them from feeling “stuck”. These include strategies based on cognitive behavioral therapy, addressing fear avoidance (fear of being in pain), and the motivation paradox.
Employers with specific needs can take advantage of our wide range of program components for a model designed to fit your business and your culture.
Contact us today to improve the claim experience for you and your employees.
