WCB Injury Reduction
Serving Your Local Area
Health and Safety
The Top 5 Benefits of a Modified Work Program
Modified work programs help employees who are not able to return to their pre-injury job or other positions with the company. This article is a breakdown of why your organization should implement a modified work program and the top five benefits of having one in place. These programs are essential for employers when they want to keep staff members after they have been injured on the job. A lot of workers fear that if they take this route, it will be the end of their career with that company. However, these programs give employees time to heal and come back even stronger than before. In this article we explore the top five benefits of implementing a modified work program in your workplace:
Employees Stay Engaged & Informed
One of the big concerns that employees have about a modified work program is whether they will remain in the loop with what is happening in the business. If they are on modified duty, they are often removed from the day-to-day operations of the company. Therefore, they may feel as though they are no longer part of the team. This is never the intention of a modified work program. The aim of the program is to allow the employee to stay engaged and informed even though they can’t perform their normal job functions. Employers should encourage their employees to stay in the loop by communicating with them regularly through employee communication channels. This can be done through email newsletters, online employee forums, and team meeting Slack channels.
Employees Can Heal & Come Back Stronger
One of the big reasons that employers implement a modified work program is so that employees can heal from a workplace injury and come back even stronger. This is especially true for people who have been injured on the job and are in ongoing treatment. As part of the modified work program, employees can do their normal job duties, but with some adjustments to accommodate their injury. These changes will enable the employees to stay in their normal routine and the environment that they are already familiar with. This approach can be helpful for employees who have been out of work because of an injury and are struggling to come back. It allows them to ease back into the job without having to push too hard and risk another injury.
Company Averages Increased Productivity
A common misconception is that a modified work program will result in reduced productivity. This isn’t always the case, especially when the employee is in their normal routine, but with adjustments to accommodate their injury. Whenever there are changes at work, it can cause anxiety among employees. When a company implements a modified work program, some employees may feel as though the company is trying to cut back on productivity. After all, employees on a modified work program average about 70% of their pre-injury productivity levels, according to the Center for Disability Research at the University of Delaware (UD Center). However, as mentioned earlier, employees on modified work programs may actually be more productive, thanks to the reduced stress levels caused by being in their normal routine and in an environment that they are comfortable with.
Company Risk is Managed
A huge benefit of implementing a modified work program for employers is that the risk associated with employees who have suffered an injury on the job is managed. When an employee is injured, the company is responsible for covering the cost of their WCB claim. This cost can be significant, especially if the employee is out of work for a long period of time. In some cases, the cost of WCB claims can increase your injury frequency rate which will cause you to have trouble working for some companies. A modified work program can help to reduce the risk of paying out large claims, both in the short term and the long term. In the short term, if an employee is on modified work, the company will be paying the employee a reduced salary, rather than paying out for WCB Claims. In the long term, a modified work program can help injured employees to return to work, reducing the total amount spent on medical claims.
Company Culture is Improved
Employer best practices say that an employer’s responsibility extends far beyond providing a paycheck and benefits. An employer should be responsible for the safety and well-being of their employees. If one of your employees is injured at work, you have a responsibility to accommodate them. This includes offering them a modified work program if they can’t perform their normal job duties. Modifying an employee’s work duties to accommodate their injury can help to keep them engaged and feeling part of the team. This can also help to reduce the risk of stress, as employees in modified positions often experience less stress than those who are totally out of work. A workplace culture that is supportive and inclusive of all employees, including those with disabilities, is a company that attracts and retains great people.
Conclusion
In this article, we explored the top five benefits of implementing a modified work program in your workplace. These programs help employees who are not able to return to their pre-injury job or other positions with the company. Employers should encourage their employees to stay in the loop by communicating with them regularly through employee communication channels. This can be done through email newsletters, online employee forums, and team meeting Slack channels. A workplace where employees feel safe and supported is a place where employees want to stay. When your employees thrive, your company thrives. Implementing a modified work program can help improve employee engagement, reduce company risk, and improve company culture.
Safety Consultants
Safety is of the utmost importance in any workplace. So, it’s crucial to have a safety plan in place to ensure that employees stay safe. With the right safety practices in place, you’re less likely to have accidents or injuries.
Furthermore, safety is important for another reason: it can save you money. Safety is less expensive than the costs associated with accidents and injuries.
Safety is a complex issue, however. So, it’s a good idea to hire a safety consultant to help you with things like organizing your stats (and making sure they’re accurate) and ensuring that you’re OH&S compliant.
How to Create a Modified Work Program
If you are doing this on your own I recommend having a conversation with your local WCB office. Usually, they have information and examples of how to create your own modified work programs.
They are quite helpful and that should give you a real leg up on setting up your programs. The difficult part is doing the physical analysis on each job you want to use for the modified work program. (you might want to get a consultant to do this part of the program for you)
Once you have the jobs picked you to need to create some standard form letters for the program. you need a form to the attending physician. YOu will also need to have a letter addressing the employee that is injured stating that your company offers modified work. once the doctor fills out your form saying that the worker is capable of doing modified work.
next, you will have to immediately send the worker an offer of modified work. This is critical as it establishes the start of the claim. For example, if you don’t send him an offer for two days then he will be on workers comp for two days and that will be a lost-time incident. The whole reason why you have a modified work program in the first place is to avoid this kind of thing.
now that everything is set up you need to have a meeting and inform all the workers that currently work at the company. Also, include all the information in the new worker orientation program so they know exactly what to do in the event of an injury.
need any help building a modified work program click the button below
Available 'round the Clock
Safety doesn't take holidays. whether it is 5:00 am or 9:00 o'clock on a Saturday night if you need us we will be there. We are only a phone call away and in most cases, we are a Safety Services Company we can solve whatever problems you are having with a phone call. Keep this Number Handy 780-832-5158 and just ask for Blake Cowan
Satisfaction Guaranteed
We Offer Safety Consulting. All of the work is guaranteed or your money back. We fully back our work and our advice 100%. We will not give you bad advice and then look the other way when trouble comes. We don't know everything, of course, but we will always research the topic and warn you of the possible issues along the way. We are a Safety Services company we are everything you would want a safety partner to be.
Free Consultations
We offer 100 percent free consultations on all of our products. when we are working for you we don't just bill you we discuss any changes that might have a difference in the cost and offer you solutions that will fit your budget. We are Professional Safety Consultants operating in the field of Health and Safety in the workplace.
You will always know your cost upfront for larger projects, and we will give you weekly reports so you can see how your money is being spent. We are big believers in transparency and honesty because without them, what do you have? We offer the best Health and Safety Consulting in the Area. Just check out our reviews on Google.
Workplace Safety Consultants
Serving Your Local Area
Contact
