It’s not easy being in charge of your company’s workers’ compensation compliance. Sometimes it’s downright frustrating. There are a lot of people involved in the claims process. Your injured worker, their doctor, their physical therapist, your insurer, their adjuster, maybe a TPA. Every one of them wants something. You feel caught in the middle.

What do injured workers really want, anyway?

They Want To Be Treated with Respect

How would you feel if you were injured at work? You’re in pain – maybe severe pain. You can’t work. Will you be out so long your income will suffer? What will happen to your family if you can’t work? The future may look uncertain, and that’s scary.

Injured workers are not only in pain, they are worried. Tempting as it might be to suspect their claim is fraudulent, it probably is not. That’s why it’s so important to treat every claim as legitimate at first. That shows respect for your employee. And it gives you time to investigate the circumstances surrounding their injury. If it’s bogus, or exaggerated, you can take appropriate action.

If their claim is valid, you can make sure they get proper medical care. Treat them with respect by making them a partner in their recovery.

They Want To Be Informed

Sharing information starts as soon as you hire someone. Make sure your employees know what workers’ compensation is all about. Why does it exist? What are their rights and obligations if they get hurt? How does your reporting system work? What other resources are available to them? Do you have a formal Return to Work program?

When an injury occurs, information becomes even more important. If the claims process feels adversarial, employees become defensive. Yes, every employer knows there are some people who fake injuries. They may even magnify their symptoms or exaggerate the severity of their injury. But the vast majority of your employees want to be healthy. Their job is important to them. So talk to them. Discuss their plan of care. Let them know you’ll be monitoring their progress.

Effective communication goes beyond providing the facts. Injured workers need to know you care about them as a person. You want them to be healthy. You expect them to return to full time work as soon as possible. So tell them that. Drop in on their on-site therapy sessions from time to time, to see how they’re doing. Encourage them.

Remember the expression, “out of sight, out of mind.” Injured workers who are off work for an extended time often feel forgotten. Ongoing communication keeps them engaged with their workplace in a positive way.

Information gives injured workers a sense of control. That builds their confidence in the entire workers’ claims process. You’re helping them get better, and they’re part of the solution.

They Want To Avoid Future Injuries

Once someone has been injured, they’re afraid it will happen again. That can make them hesitant to return to work. Or they may avoid doing part of their job when they do return. Providing on-site physical therapy eliminates those worries. Injured workers receive therapy tailored to their job. They regain strength and range of motion to do the work. And they learn how to move perform each task in the proper manner to prevent repeat injuries.

It’s your job to protect your company’s assets. You can do that by giving injured workers what they want most. Make them a partner in their own recovery. That empowers them to take responsibility for getting better. And it motivates them to focus on returning to work as soon as possible.