Many businesses mess this up. When an injured valuable employee recovers they walk away. Walk away and never return. You lose talent, expertise, and financial investment in one.
Here's the good news...
A good return-to-work program does just that. It allows you to have injured workers back on the job sooner, reduces your costs and demonstrates to your entire workforce that you truly care.
So let's break it down.
Here's What's Inside:
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Why Return-to-Work Programs Matter So Much
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What Makes a Great Program Different
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How to Build One That Keeps Talent on Board
Why Return-to-Work Programs Matter So Much
A workplace injury hits harder than most employers realise.
The injured worker suddenly finds themselves overwhelmed with stress. They are concerned about their health, their job and mostly their paycheck. As they recover, wage replacement is what allows them to keep the lights on. The issue is these benefits typically replace only about two-thirds of normal wages. Suddenly there isn't enough money to go around.
That financial pressure is part of what can make things ugly. Denied or delayed benefits leave injured workers feeling trapped and angry. Countless workers call the Minneapolis work injury lawyers at Meshbesher simply to ensure their wage replacement and medical bills are being processed correctly.
Now think about the cost of losing them completely.
It costs a lot to replace an experienced employee. You have to find, hire and train someone new who won't have the experience your injured worker will have already acquired. Meanwhile your other employees have to pick up the slack, which silently creates stress and burnout.
But here's the thing most employers tend to forget...
The longer an employee is away from work, the more difficult it is to return. The more delayed their return, the greater the likelihood they will become permanently absent. A return-to-work program prevents this by placing individuals on a modified work schedule prior to their absence.
That protects your talent and your bottom line at the same time.
What Makes a Great Program Different
A return-to-work program is not just a pile of forms. It's a dynamic plan that walks with the worker every step of the way.
Why does it work so well?
Active injured workers recover significantly faster. Research has found that workers assigned to modified duty recover 30% faster.
Pretty powerful, right?
It's also cost-effective. Smart smart return to work programs have been proven to reduce indemnity costs by 30-50%, helping you keep insurance premiums down as well. One long-term study saw lost-time claims decrease by 73% after ten years of operating an effective program.
That's a win for absolutely everyone involved.
Offer Light or Modified Duty
This is the heart of any good program.
It's a simple concept. Provide the hurt employee with work they can do. Whether it's lighter duty, fewer hours or a temporary move to a desk job for a few weeks.
It's all about fitting the assignment to their doctor's restrictions. Communicate with their physician so you understand their limitations. When performed correctly, temporary disability can allow the employee to feel involved, productive and receive paychecks.
Keep the Conversation Going
Silence is the real enemy here.
If you say nothing to an injured employee they begin to feel ignored. It's that feeling that motivates your good employees to move on.
Follow up. Make a follow up call or send a text. Even 5 minutes of your time can show them that their job is there for them and that their team misses them. Support like this will create loyalty that will go FAR past rehabilitation.
Make the Wage Picture Clear
Money is the number one stress for nearly every injured worker.
Explain how lost wage replacement benefits work. When payments will start. And what to expect during the recovery process. The more transparent you are, the less anxious and uncertain they will be.
When employees understand their lost wage replacement benefits, they have more confidence in the process. Plus, an employee that has confidence in the process is much more likely to be with the company long-term.
How to Build One That Keeps Talent on Board
So now you're ready to take all of this advice and turn it into a plan. Want to know how to create a program that will actually retain your employees?
Begin with a written policy. Ensure your return-to-work policy is documented so that there are no surprises on day one. Include:
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Who handles each claim
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How modified duty actually works
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What lost wage replacement covers
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The exact steps for returning to work
Train your managers. Your supervisors are your first line of defense with every injury. They should know how to react right when it happens and how to help the worker after.
Act fast. Speed is of the essence. The quicker you contact the employee and present them with an alternative role, the better. Don't let an injured worker stay at home worrying about whether they have a job or not.
Monitor your results. Pay close attention to the average duration of open claims and the actual return rate of injured workers. You will begin to see trends of what is working and what needs tweaking.
Easy peasy. All these steps work together from one step to the next to create a program you and your entire team can depend on.
Bringing It All Together
A workplace injury doesn't have to mean losing a valued employee.
An effective return-to-work program can help you rehire faster, reduce your expenses and retain the valuable employees you've worked so hard to develop. The statistics back it up. So do your employees' livelihoods.
Let's quickly recap what matters most:
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Reach out early and keep the conversation going
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Offer light or modified duty that fits their restrictions
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Be crystal clear about lost wage replacement
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Put your policy in writing and train your managers
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Track your results and keep on improving
Ultimately, taking care of injured workers is the right thing to do because it’s good business. When you take care of your employees during their worst times, they will show their appreciation by staying loyal to you for many years.
Don't wait for another injury to happen before you act. Build a return- to-work program now and keep your best employees where they belong.