When it comes to implementing a workers’ compensation management program, it seems as if everyone – managers, employees, adjusters — lack the ability to understand how lack of knowledge can hurt workers’ comp cost and, the employer’s bottom line.
1- Management’s Lack of Knowledge
Management doesn’t understand the true costs of workers’ compensation far outweigh the face value of the claim.
For example, if an employee has a claim costing $15,000 – do you know how much do you really pay? Let’s say your profit margin is 8%. It’s going to take a whopping $187,500 to replace the cost of the $15,000 claim. In other words, a $15,000 claim isn’t just a $15,000 claim .
2- Adjusters’ Lack of Knowledge
Adjusters overlooking missing medical information, not understanding complex medicalese terminology, and settling large claims without all the facts and the costs associated with the claim has a huge impact on the cost of claims.
You owe it to yourself to visit the adjuster facility, determine whether or not they use good work practices. See: http://blog.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/2008/12/5-things-you-can-review-to-determine-whether-your-claims-administrator-is-doing-a-good-job/
If you see files laying on the floor, if the adjusters are being interrupted by phone calls, these are red flags. Ask to see the claims to ensure adjusters are completing vital information about the claimants and not moving forward to settlement without a complete picture of the claim.
Adjusters must understand medical terminology associated with workers’ comp claims. For example, if an adjuster thinks a positive axial compression test means the injury is genuine, then you’ve got a problem. Axial compression tests are used to see if injured employees are exaggerating their symptoms. A positive outcome means that, “yes” the employee is exaggerating symptoms.
Have your adjusters visited your facility lately? They should have a physical, three-dimensional understanding of your transitional /modified duty program and how it works. Therefore, they need to see the work sites, see the layout, and how modified duty jobs are implemented so they can make more informed recommendations.
3-Employees’ Lack of Knowledge
Employees may assume the insurance company is paying their claim. Employees may not realize the costs associated with workers’ compensation claims may come back to bite them in terms of budgetary cuts, lack of pay increases, and potential layoffs as company resources dwindle because the employer is paying out huge deductibles and related costs on workers’ compensation claims. (workersxzcompxzkit)
This is particularly true if the company has a large deductible. Thus, for each claim, the out-of-pocket expenses eat away at the finite resource pot. There is only so much money and it can be spent to benefit all employees or to pay out large claims for the few who know how to navigate the loopholes.
COMMUNICATE — It’s the key to reducing workers’ compensation costs.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Your new workers’ compensation management policy is written and everyone knows all about it. So, what do you do next?
Research Communication Receivers and Pathways
1. How does communication travel in your company?
2. Does your company have a vertical communication structure: subordinate, to supervisor and up the management chain?
2. Does your company have a horizontal communication structure: peer-to-peer, inter-/-intra departmental communications pathways?
3. What about external communication?
4. How well does your company communicate to its peer companies the company is a safe place to work?
Determine: The Least Likely to Get the Message? The Most Likely to Go Out on Work Comp?
1. Do you have a contingent of workers who travel – and are not part of the inter-/intra-/vertical/horizontal communications loop such as traveling salesmen, truckers?
2. English may be a second language for a group of workers such as a large Hispanic or Asian population.
3. Do you have a group performing hazardous physical duties such as linemen, cable workers, machinists, etc.?
What is the Safety Department doing to communicate with employees and how well is the message getting out there?
1. You can discern this by watching people do things like hold the guardrails when stair climbing, wearing proper personal protective (PPE) equipment, etc.?
Dovetail workers’ comp management communication pieces in style and design.
1. To the extent safety is the flip side of workers’ compensation management, it may be worthwhile to look at their successfully communication pieces and piggyback on their strategies and tools. This does not mean to “steal” the safety person’s materials, look and see what tools work for them and how they communication successfully to their audiences, since their audience is also yours.
2. The more workers’ comp management practices are proactive, the fewer work comp claims are file and costs are reduced.
Write a Detailed Workers’ Comp Communication Plan
If you are starting your workers’ comp communications program in the middle of the year you can write an interim plan.
1. An interim plan is an outgrowth of the policy, drilling down to the what, how and when of the communication policy. The plan describes program initiatives and tools you will use to get across the workers’ comp management message across. (workersxzcompxzkit)
Once you’ve established communication pathways, target audiences, and drafted a plan, you are well on your way to implementing an effective, intentioned communications plan designed to bring employees at every level into the workers’ compensation management loop.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
A workers’ compensation policy statement defines your company’s intent to control workers’ compensation costs. As the workers’ comp coordinator you begin by formulating a workers’ comp management policy for your company, keeping in mind policy statements are unique to every company creating them, but have common characteristics.
Make it clear when you begin to draft a workers’ comp management statement it is preliminary and will not be finalized for six months. A preliminary statement is needed now to begin implementing the other aspects of your workers’ comp management program, but you retain the authority to finalize it later.
There is no substitute for time. Time shows the reappearing issues the policy may need to address specifically. Time shows other items you must add to the template. Time makes the policy statement a working document. By waiting a minimum of six months before rolling out the policy, issues are added as they arise.
Policy Goal Statement
The first part of the policy is an overview of the policy and why it was created. Keep the language simple, and whenever possible couch the problem statement in positive words.
Keep the language simple to avoid misunderstandings. State the problem, but keep it positive. When stating the problem, avoid laying blame. If employees are languishing at home, you, as the company, must take full responsibility for bringing them back to work in some fashion — as you are admitting in the policy statement.
You might say something like this:
1. The ABC Corporation proudly announces the creation of a workers’ compensation management program. The goal of the program is to engage in company-wide management and employee practices designed to lower workers’ compensation costs.
2. The practices include the establishment of a return-to-work program, a transitional duty program, and the establishment of post-injury response procedures.
3. The policy is created because at present, employees who are injured on the job have no established way of re-engaging the work world during their recovery process.
4. Additionally the company does not have an established tracking system to ensure our injured employees receive the best medical attention immediately after a work-related injury.
Policy Implementer and Beneficiaries
This part of the policy statement describes who’s in charge of project implementation. If you’re multi-sited, you may have one workers’ comp manager with several site coordinators. Or, it may just be you, in which case, your statement can go something like this:
1. This policy applies to all employees of ABC Corporation who are injured on the job now, in the past, or in the future.
2. An inter-departmental workers’ compensation management committee will monitor the overall processes for their departments. Members will be department heads, supervisors, and employees.
3. In the event of a decision conflict, the workers’ compensation management committee has primary responsibility for hearing appeals, using an established appeals process. Representatives from all departments will take part in establishing the appeals process for the workers’ compensation management committee.
4. The workers’ compensation coordinator has primary responsibility for program management.
Keep in mind establishing a committee is time consuming. First, ask decision-makers to appoint committee members. Once they convene, they decide by charter how subsequent committee members will join. A bi-annual election is a good idea, at least for the employee part of the committee.
The Policy and Process
In this section provide more detail about how the policy is to be applied, who is exempt and how conflicts and violations are resolved, including a time frame for effectiveness. For example: “This policy applies to all full-time employees and remains in effect for the next two years.”
Policy Purpose
Boundaries for employee conduct in the event of a work-related injury are established by the workers’ compensation management policy. The policy avoids confusion, sets parameters, avoids conflict and hopefully employees know up front what the rules are.
Thus, if an employee injured on the job and in recovery decides the company might pay for a little elective surgery, the workers’ comp coordinator points to the policy stating: “The policy clearly states that the following kinds of surgery are covered unless specifically linked to the work related injury.”
Addendums
Remember, the workers’ compensation management policy is a living breathing document, designed to serve the people, not the other way around. So, if you find various aspects are not working, realign them to make them more functional.
Policy Kick Off
Let everyone know about your new workers’ compensation management policy. Consider introducing it at a general staff meeting. Serve coffee and donuts, and go over each item verbally. Don’t be surprised if it isn’t widely read by your employee audience. (workersxzcompxzkit)
Make sure employees sign in at the meeting. Then, in the event of any future disagreement, you can point to the sign-in sheet and remind them they attended the workers’ compensation management policy introduction meeting, where all points were covered.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Communication Methods
An effective safety program requires two-way communication: information shared with employees and feedback from employees on workplace safety hazards. All communication should be bi-lingual, if appropriate. Some suggested communication methods include employee safety meetings (all shifts), safety posters, newsletters, videos, and even a safety suggestion box.
Conduct a Thorough Workplace Assessment
An initial and ongoing workplace safety audit is an important tool in a company's safety and health program. Plant managers and their employees must analyze all worksite conditions to identify and eliminate existing or potential hazards. This must be done on a regular and timely schedule.
The assessment should evaluate your workplace with respect to safety and health regulations, generally recognized safe work practices, physical hazards and use of any hazardous materials. The assessment should be documented. There are a number of websites, including OSHA, with sample safety audit templates. Some pointers:
Hazard Correction/Safety Work Order Tracking System
1. Involve employees in this process – their knowledge of the jobs and tasks will ensure a quality assessment and will help get "buy in." Plant maintenance employees are a great source for recognizing hazards.
2. IMMEDIATELY correct hazards that are found. Don't wait for the audit to be done! Develop actions plans whenever needed.
3. Develop a system for employees to report hazards.
4. Again, it is helpful to review loss history to look for trends. "Near Misses," in which an accident didn't occur, but could have, can give a good indication of inadequate hazard controls.
5. Let employees help develop ideas on how to control and eliminate hazards in their surroundings.
6. Provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), where needed, and train employees on how to use it. Consult OSHA regulations for specific requirements. (workersxzcompxzkit) See Safety Resources http://reduceyourworkerscomp.com/resources.php for specific regulations.
7. Safety audits should be supplemented with safety inspections. Inspections can be informal or formal, using a checklist. Continuous inspections are performed by employees or supervisors as part of their daily routine. Planned inspections take place periodically (weekly, monthly or semi-annually) and are usually limited in scope, or specific to a site. Intermittent inspections take place on an irregular basis and are usually not scheduled (during construction activities, for example).
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
"FRAUD PREVENTION" PODCAST click here: http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/mp3 By: Private investigator with 25 years experience.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
The biggest mistake employers make is letting injured employees languish at home.
Make sure you keep the lines of communication open from Day One.
Employees must know if they are injured "return-to-work is the name of the game." Establish your expectations BEFORE injuries occur. A good time to communicate this message is in your employee orientation at time of hire. Your message is, "employees are expected to meet weekly and return-to-work in modified duty" as soon as treating physicians give the go-ahead.
In this way, employees won't have the chance to think about turning away from work and languishing at home watching the soaps. It simply won't be a possibility.
5 Useful Tips to Return Your Injured Workers to Work
1. Accompany the injured employee to the medical treatment facility.
2. Make sure the treating physician faxes the workability form back to you.
3. Call the employee on the first day of injury and make kindly inquiries. Be genuinely concerned about the worker's well being.
4. Send a get well card – if you can, get it signed by everyone in the employee's immediate surroundings. Have employees add notes of good will and friendliness. This has a powerful impact – reminding injured employees, that, yes, they are cared about and a valuable asset to their workplace. This gesture definitely reinforces those ties.
5. Schedule weekly meetings, and to the extent possible, have them onsite so the employee remembers the feel of the workplace. Ensure some work friends drop in to say, "Hi!" (workersxzcompxzkit)
Remember, if you're not taking charge of communication, someone else will. Injured employees start thinking about attorneys and before you know it you are locked in a lawsuit. You lose both money and a valued employee. Make sure you're the one communicating with injured employees.
"FRAUD PREVENTION" PODCAST click here: http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/mp3 By: Private investigator with 25 years experience.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker about workers' comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Tip: Use FORMAL and INFORMAL communication styles.
What is the difference between formal and informal communication and how do I use these to communicate to my injured employees? Formal communication is explicit concrete communication. Formal communication can be a written document such as an employee brochure, a post injury response checklist, a workers’ compensation policy.
Informal communication is implicit – the way you speak to your injured employees, the questions you ask, the body language they use when responding to you. Informal communication include gestures, facial expressions, body language, attitude.
Use formal communication to induct and train your employees into workers’ comp management policies programs and procedures.
A workers’ compensation policy tells all employees exactly what the company’s mission statement is and what is expected of the employee population going forward.
An employee brochure provides step-by-step instructions telling employees how to respond if they are injured. The employee brochure contains contact information and a summary of post injury responsibilities for reference. Brochures are a great way for employees to take the information with them wherever they go.
A post injury response checklist will help employees in the throes of a crisis, check off each responsibility to ensure that nothing is overlooked and the job of resolving the crisis is well done.
Informal communication can occur when you are communicating with injured employees who may or may not be out on comp. Listen not so much to what the employee is saying but the way they are saying it.
1. Do they have an attitude of openness, willingness to return to work?
2. Are they positive?
3. Do they make eye contact?
4. Have they become psychologically dis-employed?
5. Do they respond to your phone calls? Are they exaggerating symptoms?
Caveat: While you can make these inferences, you must be careful to back them up with careful documentation. For example, if you think your employee has become psychologically dis-employed, have your weekly communication meetings on-site and ensure the worker sees and gets to visit with co-workers. If you think an employee is exaggerating symptoms, seek an Independent Medical Examination (IME) to find out what’s really going on. Keep a communication diary with a note of the formal and informal communication instances that occurred. (workersxzcompxzkit)
In summary, usually formal communication comes into play before an incident occurs. Use formal communication to develop strategies, checklists, brochures, wallet cards and other documentation. Informal communication comes into play once the workers’ comp management program is launched, and you are attempting to determine the willingness of injured employees to return to work.
Author Rebecca Shafer, J.D. President, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers’ Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. She can be contacted at: RShafer@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
“FRAUD PREVENTION” PODCAST click here: http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/mp3
By: Private investigator with 25 years experience.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers’ comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
The easiest way to chase your injured employee to an attorney is to ignore the employee once an injury occurs. Of course the attorney who is interested in maximizing his income, builds-up the employee’s claim by whatever methods are available in the jurisdiction of the injury. The best way to prevent unnecessary attorney representation is through on-going contact with the injured employee.
The employee is human and like all humans craves attention, especially when hurt. In addition to being concerned about the injury, the injured employee is concerned about future employment, future income, ability to take care of the family.
The employee needs reassurance throughout the claim, not just when it is reported. Most companies do a fairly good job of reassuring the employee everything will be taken care of when the workers’ compensation claim is first reported. But, the first report of injury is not the only time the employer needs to be in contact with the employee.
On-going contact with an injured employee actually starts before the injury ever occurs. As apart of the new hire package, the employee should be told what to do in the case of a workers’ compensation injury. The new hire package specifies who the employee reports the work comp claim to, the importance of reporting the claim immediately, the medical treatment providers available (in those jurisdictions allowing the employer to select the medical provider) and the return-to-work program or modified duty program available to them. This sets the stage for active involvement by the employer with the employee throughout the recovery from the work comp injury.
During the initial report of the claim, the employer emphasizes the need for the employee to keep the employer informed about his/her medical treatment and work status. The employee then sees the employer cares about his/her well being, wants a return-to-work as soon as the injured worker is physically able and thus, is much more likely to return to work in a appropriate time frame than to malinger at home off work.
The employer’s work comp coordinator tracks the medical progress of the employee until he/she returns to work. When the employee is going to be off work for an extended period of time, the employer contacts the employee on a monthly basis to see what progress is being made and to confirm the employee’s job is available for return-to-work.
Following a report of the injury, the adjuster contacts the employee within 24 hours of the claim being reported to the adjuster’s office. During this initial contact with the employee, the adjuster obtains all pertinent details about the claim to complete the investigation. With proper people skills the adjuster builds rapport with the employee during this initial contact by taking an active interest in the claim and by obtaining all the information needed to move the claim forward.
The adjuster also advises the employee to call and report any change in the worker’s medical or work status. However, the adjuster does not rely on the employee to report everything happening on the work comp claim. The adjuster as part of a file action plan, in addition to regular contact with the medical provider, plans to contact the employee every 30 days (or less if the situation calls for it) to maintain rapport with the claimant and to ensure a timely forward movement of the work comp claim. (workersxzcompxzkit)
By maintaining on-going contact with the employee, the adjuster is established as the expert on the work comp claim and as the person who will assist the employee with all questions and concerns in regarding the work comp claim. The adjuster is established as the go-to person, creating a positive environment for processing the claim and gives the employee confidence the work injury is important to both the employer and the adjuster. With the confidence built by the adjuster through on-going contact, the likelihood of the employee feeling the need to hire an attorney is greatly diminished and the overall cost of the claim is more effectively controlled.
“FRAUD PREVENTION” PODCAST click here: http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/mp3
By: Private investigator with 25 years experience.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers’ comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
A Procedure for Managing Pushback at the Organizational Level
Managing pushback from an organization level is about management dealing with pushback from a group of people resistant to participating in a company-wide workers’ comp management program.
Rule of Thumb: Do Not Assign Ownership to the Conflict, But Assign Ownership to Resolutions
A team approach is always best for dealing with pushback. When you are first approached by a group of disgruntled employees, gather and document their concerns and make sure they know ownership is not assigned to the problem, but to the remedy.
Tell them what they can expect in the future. There will probably be a series of meetings as part of ongoing conflict resolution. Explain there are some things within your control and other things not in your control. Tell them they can expect to receive an invitation to a series of meeting and to calendar these meetings as ‘we participate as a group in resolving our issues.”
The First Meeting
Send the invitation explaining it is a listening session where you attempt to capture concerns on a spreadsheet as a means of establishing and gaining consensus further down the road. Itemize issues by immediate solution, short/long-term solution and issues beyond your control. Tell them we are going to build consensus and resolution as meetings progress.
After the meeting, send a follow up email attaching the spreadsheet. Send an invitation to the next meeting. If you believe the meetings will be recurring, schedule them in advance so participants can plan to attend.
The Second Meeting
Tell invitees the second will be a confirmation and brainstorming session. Be honest with them. Reiterate how you’ve grouped concerns by immediate and short/long term and beyond your control. Using a projector put the matrix up on a screen to be seen by all members. Go through each concern, (immediate, long/short/term, and beyond your control) and confirm that these are the actual concerns.
Now elicit brainstorming ideas from members. You will be surprised at the ideas coming from the group. Type in solutions step-by-step, and as you do, begin to task members, assigning ownership of action items at this time. When they offer a suggestion, ask if they would be able to help with it. In this way, they become de facto involved with the workers’ comp initiative.
The Solution Matrix
Look for common threads among issues and remedial strategies. You may be able to sort by common threads, and group in this way. When possible group them, asking the group if this is acceptable. Matrix as you go along, so all members can see the working document.
End the meeting by reiterating tasks, and owners. Then follow up with the new matrix to accompany a reminder of the third meeting. If you can, put the matrix on a shared drive and send the location to participants. They can go in an update the matrix as new developments and solutions come to fruition.
The Third and Subsequent Meetings
By the third meeting, resolutions should be underway as evident on the matrix when you project it. Task owners will have gone in and posted the status, so now is a time of discussion of obstacles, and workarounds.
How to Criticize (Critique) Constructively
1. Allow employees to voice their concerns.
2. Listen carefully and repeat their concerns back to them.
3. Put concerns in writing word-for- word to emphasize they have been heard. Keep concerns neutral.
4. Meet consecutively to (a) capture additional concerns and reiterate; (b) confirm, find common threads to group; (c) task members with ownership of resolutions, and meet periodically until resolutions come to fruition.
5. Be very careful how you critique or criticize. Always lead with something positive, and couch your criticisms in a question, “Couldn’t we do something like this?,” giving an opportunity to answer you as an equal. Listen to what they say, and write it down, and try to find a place in the middle where you can come to an agreement.
6. Try to bring push back to a place where you both can ask, “What can we do to resolve this?” Again, it’s always a good idea to stay issue specific, and have participants write down their concerns and solutions to those concerns. If you all wish – keep them anonymous. Have participants throw them into a hat.
Heading off Pushback – a Proactive Approach
If you thinka bout it, by the time you are dealing with pushback, you are coming from a reactive stance. Wouldn’t it be nice to be proactive about pushback and head it off before it becomes an issue. Here is a way many large corporations are dealing with push back today:
Management has begun to build Employee Involvement team meetings into their annual performance measures. Before the kick off meeting, employees drop topics into a box in the cafeteria or department/units identify topics. You will find most suggestions come under the auspices of global concerns such as — cost reduction, safety, workers’ comp management, morale improvement, and everything else is a wild card topic.
Sponsor a half-day kick-off meeting for each department. Include coffee and donuts, and, if possible, have the meetings off site.. Have a table, easel, and chart paper and markers for each table.
Group employees into teams. The teams rotate, going from one table to another, suggesting solutions to the topics and the possibilities are written on charts stationed at each table.
By the end of the meeting, each team has brainstormed solutions for each topic. Then each topic and its possible solutions are matrixed to an Excel spreadsheet.
Invite employees to join involvement teams meeting or twice a month. At the first meeting, employees review all the solutions for their topic. Based on group response, some solutions are discarded and redundancies summarized.
Members take ownership of one or more of the solutions and research them. The matrix is kept on a shared drive where solution owners can input their research updates as they go along. (workersxzcompxzkit)
By the end of the year, many solutions are generated. Discarded solutions are those made as a team decision. No matter the reason, (solutions discarded due to cost or timing, or impossibility of implementation) it is a team decision.
Author Robert Elliott can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
“FRAUD PREVENTION” PODCAST click here: http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/mp3
By: Private investigator with 25 years experience.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agents about workers’ comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
The vast majority of injured employees want to recover and return to work (and life as usual) as quickly as possible. Giving them a little attention and providing information may make all the difference in avoiding a costly litigated claim.
1. Set your employees’ expectations by explaining the workers’ compensation process including the claim investigation, the persons involved and their rolls (adjuster, physician, nurse case manager, company contact, etc.) and provide a broad benefit overview.
2. Prepare a pamphlet to hand out upon injury covering what you’ve explained so injured workers have something to refer to. Include the adjusters name and telephone number and the company contact name and phone number.
3. Explain your return-to-work program including the progression of returning to modified work and transitioning back to full, pre-injury duties with timeframes to the extent possible based on the injury. Help keep the injured worker focused on healing and returning to work.
4. Let injured employees know they remain a valuable member of your workforce and an asset to the company. Send a get well card signed by their immediate supervisor and other managers as appropriate in cases of compensable lost time.
5. Keep in touch with injured workers losing time from work to the extent possible. Even in the event of attorney representation, learn from your own defense counsel what legally can and cannot be discussed in your jurisdiction and have a weekly conversation with injured workers. How are they recovering? Do they feel they’re making progress and are they satisfied with their treatment? Is there anything they need? Are they receiving their indemnity benefits? Do they have any questions?
6. Invite injured workers losing time from work to participate in extracurricular employment related activities such as holiday gatherings.
7. Arrange to see injured employees who are losing time from work once a week, or as allowed in your jurisdiction by asking him or her to bring a current work ability form from the most recent medical appointment.
8. Confirm the injured employee has a company contact for questions related to FMLA and possibly the ADA and is informed as to the status of each as indicated.
9. Encourage employees to keep licenses or other employment designations current to the extent possible such as DOT physicals for a CDL or state licenses for trade-type employment.
10. Maintain open lines of communication and be sure your employee is informed as to the ongoing status of his or her claim to prevent surprises. Avoiding unwelcome surprises can reduce litigation and ultimately, costs. (workersxzcompxzkit)
Application of these 10 simple steps helps reduce costs and litigation and your only cost is a little time. That’s quite return on investment and well worth the effort.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers’ Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
“FRAUD PREVENTION” PODCAST click here: http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/mp3
By: Private investigator with 25 years experience.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers’ comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
I. Concepts Underlying Conflict Management (Pushback)
In a perfect world, you implement a workers’ comp management program and there is no pushback. Everyone in your perfect world is as excited as you are about the program because workers’ comp management strategies and processes work.
BUT in the real world it isn’t a question if you’re going to have pushback, it’s a question when pushback comes and how you’re going to deal with it. Pushback is inevitable.
The Push and Pull of Pushback
Pushback is defined as opposition or resistance to an idea, plan or strategy. You can plan on being on the receiving end of push back at one time or another in your career from management, peers, and subordinates.
Pushback I s also defined as the act of forcing the enemy to withdraw – to cause to move back by force or influence. This sounds pretty scary, but this is pushback from the giving end.
Pushback boils down to conflict. Conflict is pain; people feel threatened. Regardless of whether the threat is real or perceived, pain is often expressed in pushback. Perhaps the cause is professional jealousy. Perhaps it is change. There are a variety of reasons for pushback but it always comes back to some psychic pain the individual is feeling and manifests as fighting back, stonewalling, or resorting to back biting and backstabbing.
Can We Manage Pushback?
To manage pushback we must first understand it as it occurs in various levels of management relative to our own. We must develop different conflict management strategies for dealing with superiors, peers and subordinates.
1. Superiors – It’s About the Bottom Line
Management isn’t interested in the details of a workers’ comp management program. Management is interested in cost and cost savings. Create a brief presentation to show them how they’re losing money now and how they can save actual dollars and cents with the new program initiative. When you talk to their bottom line, chances are, management will be delighted to come on board.
2. Subordinates
Manage conflict from employees by creating positive incentives such as gift certificates to the company store for successful participation in the new program’s initiatives. Practicing active conflict management techniques helps to bring employees on board. (See 7 Common Management Themes)
3. Peers
Managing pushback from peers is the most difficult because power is equal. Backing from senior management helps manage give you the edge you need to implement a corporate wide workers’ comp management program.
II. Managing Conflict From a Procedural Level
7 Common Management Themes
Several important common conflict management themes emerge at every level because you want everyone in the company to own workers’ management program goals, to participate willingly and not sabotage your workers’ comp management program.
1. Consensus Building
Your ultimate goal is to find those areas you agree on and agree to compromise on the areas you don’t. This can be a slow, arduous process. But it can be worth it because people have buy-in to the new program, and they feel invested. They have internalized program initiatives and taken ownership. So building consensus among individuals is a powerful tool for moving the group ahead.
2. Careful Listening
When practicing active conflict management — such as when someone is in your face, what do you do? Listen carefully, then repeat back to the individual what they said. In this way, when the individual hears you voicing his own words, he feels heard. This is a powerful technique for calming angry individuals.
Sample Conversation:
Them: “I just don’t feel I can handle another program initiative with my current workload. I am overburdened as it is.”
You: “Okay. So you’re telling me you feel overburdened and cannot handle another program initiative. Is that right?”
Them: “Yes, we’re already running safety initiatives, and these are getting in the way of production numbers. If we were just left alone to do our work we would meet quota!”
You: “Okay, help me to understand. You are attempting to participate in safety initiatives but find you are running under production quotas, is this right?”
Them: Yes, that’s right.”
You: “Well, I hear you, and I’m going to write down your concerns, is this okay? Let’s follow up with representatives from your group, perhaps a short series of meetings will help bring us all come up to speed and put us on the same page. You’ll be getting an invite from me later this week and we can pursue your concerns.”
Them: “Okay, I’ll wait for your email.” (workersxzcompxzkit)
You: “You can expect an email later this week, and I’ll matrix the concerns. At the first meeting, we can begin to discuss solutions.”
When they share their concerns, tell them what you can and cannot do up front. Tell them, you can share their concerns, you can plot their concerns on a matrix and help organize them into immediate, short/long term goals, and tell they what things you have no control over.
Make sure you speak in a neutral tone and maintain a serious expression of concern and respect. People must perceive they have been heard. By listening and neutrally repeating what an irate individual said, you have moved them from an angry stance to a more open, “well, what are we going to do about it” stance.
3. Always Show Respect
Resist the temptation to patronize or belittle the opinions of others — even privately. As much as you may disparage or even dislike someone, you must always show respect especially for peers and people with less power than you. Human beings have an innate capability for sensing when they are being talked down to and patronizing them will alienate them forever. You will never gain consensus, and your program will struggle if you do not listen whole-heartedly and respond to the concerns of your fellow employees.
This doesn’t mean taking abuse. This means listening carefully, repeating what is said, noting it, allaying concerns. If an employee turns abusive, gently redirect that person onto the topic, or disengage yourself by saying, “Perhaps we can talk about this another time.”
4. Be a Person of Your Word
This goes a long way to ensure credibility, and sometimes credibility is all you’ve got. If you promise something by a certain time, deliver it. If you cannot perform some task, admit it up front. Always be honest but diplomatic.
5. Be constructive
If you can’t think of anything good to say, say something constructive anyway. If you are called on to critique another’s work or contribution, build on what they have created, do not tear it down. Find something positive to say. Couch your opinions as questions, as if you were asking their advice, after all, it is their work or contribution. They are sure to have opinions about it. This is all about consensus building and investing ownership.
6. Think in Terms of Possibilities and Solutions
Even if something is obviously inferior in quality, turn it into an opportunity for growth.
7. Be a Positive Thinker
Do not allow negativity to enter into your thinking or you will be unable to solve conflicts effectively. Believe the outcome will benefit everyone.
Author Robert Elliott can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
“FRAUD PREVENTION” PODCAST click here: http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/mp3
By: Private investigator with 25 years experience.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker about workers’ comp issues.
©2009 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Posted in
Communication with Employees, Implementation and Rolling Out Your Program, Management Commitment |
