If you want to reduce lost time when your workers file insurance claims, the best strategy is to be a kind and understanding boss.
Business owners want their workers to work, that activity for which they exchange payment. But when an employee gets injured and they file a workers’ compensation claim, it means they will likely take a leave from work in order to recover from their injuries. Many employers look towards the obvious: things like redesigning the workplace to prevent injuries, putting up signs, and other such things. Here are a few tips on what you can do to reduce time lost in insurance claims.
Listen to Your Employees
When it comes to lost time, you can usually find a disconnection between employers and employees. If bosses do not respect their employees, the employees will think that supervisors will roll their eyes when employees complain about discomfort or pain. This disconnect can lead to a multitude of issues, especially if employees are reluctant to report minor injuries that might become more serious if not addressed. Employers need to make employees feel comfortable communicating with them so that they can best prevent any work-related pain and suffering.
Impact of Supervisor
Supervisors may “know” what to do when an employee comes in warning of pain/discomfort in theory, but in practice this can be far more complicated. Different people approach pain and discomfort in different ways, and leaving the severity of an employee’s injury up to a supervisor’s interpretation can be a tricky business. A National Occupational Research Agenda, Supervisor Training to Optimize Response to Worker Injuries, showed that just four hours of supervisor training on communication and respect of injured workers reduced the lost time claims by an astounding 47 percent!
Communication and Support
There are two ways to address workers’ compensation, in the short-term or the long-term. It can be easier to look at conventional methods, such as simply giving employees time off and dealing with compensation, but without investing the time in the employees, like supervisor training, employers may not see viable results. It is crucial that employers train their supervision team in order for them to truly listen and communicate effectively with injured workers, how to provide and support ergonomically-related job accommodations, and the importance of being supportive. When employees feel like their needs are being met, they are more likely to be loyal to their employers.
To learn more about getting competitive coverage for your small business and construction clients, contact us today. We at PMC Insurance Group are experts on workers’ compensation and can provide quality and up-to-date insurance for you to sell.
