Building Your Workers’ Comp Dream Team

One of the biggest reasons workers’ comp programs fail is simple: no one is clearly in charge.
Everyone assumes someone else is handling something—reporting, return to work, communication, provider relationships, litigation—and the result is confusion, delay, and unnecessary cost.

Workers’ Comp is a team sport.
And like any team, someone must lead and everyone must know their role.

This is the difference between an elite program and a chaotic one.

Why Most Employers Are “Team-less” Without Realizing It

When a claim occurs, here’s what typically happens:

• The supervisor doesn’t know the process

• HR isn’t sure when to notify the adjuster

• The adjuster can’t get information

• The doctor sends unclear restrictions

• The employee receives mixed messages

• The broker is out of the loop

• No one knows who’s driving return to work

Everyone touches the claim… but no one owns it.

This is why it is emphasized:
“Who is in charge?”

Without a clear leader and clear roles, every claim becomes a version of the Bugs Bunny leak-plugging exercise—reactive, scattered, inefficient, and expensive.

The Workers’ Comp Project Team: Your Program’s Engine

These are the core team members necessary to run an elite program. These roles ensure structure, accountability, and coordination throughout the entire claim lifecycle.

1. The Program Leader

Usually a risk manager, HR director, injury coordinator, or similar.

This person:

• Sets the vision

• Oversees the timeline

• Evaluates metrics

• Coordinates all internal and external parties

• Ensures the employer holds up its responsibilities

If your company hasn’t assigned a program leader, you don’t have a program—you have a series of reactions.

2. Supervisors

Supervisors are the front line.
They are the first point of contact in:

• Incident response

• Injury reporting

• Communication with the injured employee

• Immediate documentation

• Getting the employee to medical care

Your lag time is directly tied to supervisor performance.

Without engaged supervisors, everything downstream becomes harder.

3. HR / Injury Coordinator

This person manages:

• Paperwork

• Restrictions

• Modified duty coordination

• Communication with the employee

• Weekly check-ins

• Tracking of recovery progress

They keep the claim from drifting and ensure the employee stays connected to the workplace.

4. The Broker

Most brokers want to help, but they can’t unless you involve them.

A broker can provide:

• Strategic planning

• Claims review

• Benchmarking

• Program structure guidance

• Coordination with the carrier or TPA

• High-level oversight

But only when they’re treated as part of the team—not just someone who shows up at renewal.

5. The Adjuster

The adjuster’s job becomes dramatically easier when:

• The employer reports quickly

• Supervisors provide good documentation

• Return-to-work options are ready

• The employer communicates consistently

When employers engage properly, adjusters can actually manage—not just chase.

6. Medical Providers

Many employers feel “held hostage” when providers issue broad “no work” notes.

A cooperative provider is essential to:

• Getting specific restrictions

• Reducing unnecessary disability

• Speeding return to work

• Ensuring evidence-based care

• Facilitating communication

They must be part of the team, not an afterthought.

Why Defining Roles Is Non-Negotiable

When the project team sits down to assign responsibilities, it forces clarity:

• Who reports the claim?

• By when?

• Who calls the adjuster?

• Who tracks restrictions?

• Who maintains the relationship with the clinic?

• Who reviews claims with the broker?

• Who owns return-to-work placements?

When you ask these questions, you quickly see gaps that have been costing you money for years.

Team Alignment Turns Chaos Into Coordination

Once your team is established and roles are assigned, everything becomes easier:

• Lag time drops

• Return-to-work improves

• Litigation decreases

• Adjusters respond faster

• Employees feel supported

• Medical decisions feel coordinated

• Safety improves

It turns workers’ comp from a disorganized scramble into a predictable, measurable, manageable system.

Final Thought

If your workers’ comp program feels chaotic, unclear, or overwhelming, it’s probably not a systems problem—it’s a team problem.

Build the right team.
Assign the right roles.
Lead with clarity.

Elite programs win not because they work harder…
but because they work together.

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/

©2025 Amaxx LLC. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law.

Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker, attorney, or qualified professional.