Category Archives: Workplace

Top 10 Benefits of Return to Work Programs

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According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, 4.1 million U.S. employees experience work-related injuries or illnesses each year and 1.12 million of those employees lose work days as a result. With the average employee missing eight days per injury, even a minor injury can create a domino effect in your company.

When employees experience illness or injury, it often impacts their ability to perform their jobs, especially in occupations that are more labor intensive. As soon as your worker is able, it is in everyone’s best interest to return him or her to work in some capacity. Oftentimes, this is done through formalized return to work programs. Return to work programs are extremely effective because they provide benefits to not only the employee, but also your company.

Example Job Duties

Return to work programs involve “light duty” or alternative jobs for recovering employees. For example, you can assign less strenuous or stressful parts of the employee’s normal job or have them work at a slower rate. You can also combine the less strenuous or stressful parts of several different jobs to create one full-time job for the recovering employee; this could free up other workers to take on special projects or catch up with work that is falling behind.

A supervisor can also assign a special project without a tight deadline to a recovering employee. As another alternative, some companies work with local not-for-profit organizations to keep the employee engaged with light work duties while making a notable contribution to the community.

Establishing these types of assignments will create a more fruitful and engaging return to work program. Still not convinced? Here is a list of the top 10 benefits of return to work programs for both your employee and business.

Top Benefits for Your Employees

Implementing a return to work program for injured employees communicates care and concern. It also shows employees that you value their well-being and want them back on the job as soon as possible.

Employees benefit in the following ways:

1.            Retaining full earning capacity

2.            Maintaining a productive mindset

3.            Staying on a regular work schedule

4.            Avoiding dependence on a disability system

5.            Having a sense of security and stability

Top Benefits for Your Company

A return to work program can also benefit your company financially by:

1.            Anticipating and controlling hidden costs

2.            Reducing financial impact of workplace injuries

3.            Providing a proactive approach to cost containment

4.            Improving your ability to manage an injury claim and any restrictions

5.            Getting your experienced employees back to work, resulting in less time and money spent on recruiting and hiring

It should be no surprise that a simple workers compensation case may result in expensive litigation. A well-executed return to work program will also provide clear expectations and guidelines for employees injured on the job and have been shown to reduce litigation.

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Additionally, many workers compensation insurers now require their clients to establish return to work programs.

If nothing else, having a well-documented return to work program will show a prospective insurance company that your organization takes risk management seriously. It’ll demonstrate a commitment that may mean the difference in getting into a better insurance deal and/or more favorable rates.

Getting Started

Establishing a return to work policy and or program is not difficult. Some companies already include many of the policies unofficially in the way they handle claims. It is important, however, to execute these programs correctly. Clear guidelines and specific, consistent policies must be established in writing. Your insurance broker or carrier’s loss control or claims personnel can help you get started.

According to data collected by the Job Accommodation Network, 74% of employers that implemented some form of return to work accommodations rated them as either very or extremely effective—with most accommodations costing the employers nothing. Of those that do have associated costs, the one-time expenditure on average is 0.

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Seeing the minimal costs involved and the resulting high value begs the question: why not implement a return to work program?

Tenn. Legislators Introduce Workers Comp Option Bill

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A bill that would give companies in Tennessee a free market alternative to state-mandated workers compensation insurance was introduced yesterday by Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville), a physician and vice-chair of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, and Rep. Jeremy Durham (R-Franklin), House Majority Whip.

The Tennessee Option draws from the best practices of Texas nonsubscription and the Oklahoma Option, according to the Association for Responsible Alternatives to Workers’ Compensation (ARAWC). The Option is designed to provide Tennessee employers an alternative for funding and responding to occupational injuries while still protecting employees and their families. The key components are employee accountability, medical management, employee-employer engagement, and free-market competition.

“The core focus of the Tennessee Option is to help injured employees get back to work faster,” Sen. Green said in a statement. “Making that happen requires good benefits, strong communication, and will lead to higher employee satisfaction. An Option will also give job creators a way to save more than 50% on workers’ comp costs, so they can invest in growth and more employees.”

ARAWC spokesman, Brent Buchanan told the Monitor that the bill has been in the works for about six months and the next step is a committee hearing. Because of its strong sponsorship, there is a good chance it will pass this legislative session, he said.

Janine Kral, president of ARAWC and vice president of risk management at Nordstrom said in a statement, “The Tennessee Option is a local effort driven by the bill sponsors with the support of Tennessee employers and associations. ARAWC will serve as a resource to this local group that is focused on providing a free-market alternative to workers’ compensation insurance.”

Oklahoma passed Option legislation in 2013. Texas has allowed alternative injury benefit programs for more than 100 years, ARAWC said, adding that Texas employers using the Option have saved billions of dollars while increasing return-to-work rates.

According to ARAWC:

Private employers can elect the Tennessee Option. Current Tennessee law allows cities, counties and school districts to opt out of the workers compensation system and several have elected to do so. Tennessee law already exempts employers with less than five employees from the requirement to provide workers compensation insurance. The Tennessee Option legislation will not amend those current exemptions. The Option will not be available to construction or coal mining companies due to their unique industry requirements.

By removing various third parties from between the true stakeholders – employees and employers – the Tennessee Option will encourage more collaboration between the parties. At least a mandated level of benefits must be paid. Many Option employers will pay higher wage replacement benefits than workers’ compensation. The employer must prove that financial security is available to pay the benefits, and a guaranty fund will be established. Stringent appeal rights are included in the Option to provide employees due process. Due to disclosure requirements, employees in an Option will be more aware of their injury benefits and the processes for procuring them. And more employee accountability will lead to better medical outcomes, which is good for all parties.

 

Creating a Meaningful Code of Conduct

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Codes of conduct have gone from a “nice-to-have” item to a corporate standard and even legal requirement for many businesses. Unfortunately, when creating their codes many companies focus solely on satisfying the legal requirements.

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Consequently, their codes are bogged down with complex legal jargon and company rules. These codes fail to make a meaningful connection between the organization’s objectives and its ethics and compliance management, and as a result, remain largely ineffective.

However, leading firms see the code of conduct as an opportunity to communicate and drive company values and expectations. They view the code as a tool for promoting a more ethical company culture. But making a truly effective and engaging code of conduct is easier said than done. Below are some best practices for creating a more meaningful code.

Content and Readability

No one wants to read a list of “thou shalt nots.” Instead, center your code’s content around issues employees face on a day-to-day basis and the organization’s values. Try presenting information by high-level topics or behaviors instead of by law. Also keep in mind that the code should relay high-level principles, not detailed operational guidelines.

Similarly, ditch the legal jargon and write in a clear, concise language that employees will understand. The tone should reflect your organizational culture and employee demographics. Remember that the code is there to help employees make the right ethical decisions, so make sure there are no grey areas.

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Presentation and Accessibility

Although strong and clear-cut content is essential, the code’s presentation and accessibility are equally so. Interesting, eye-catching design can dramatically improve your code’s usability and retention. Try using a mix of various design techniques like call-out boxes to highlight essential information, pull-quotes for added emphasis, and company-specific question and answer sections that ensure employees know how to apply the code’s guidance.

If you haven’t already, transform the print version of your code into an interactive, digital version. Incorporate multimedia, interactive elements such as video, quizzes, games, etc. directly into your digital code. These elements not only break up written content, but they also help bring concepts to life and promote retention. Consider requiring employees to complete these activities as a way to blur the lines between your code and training. Additionally, many digital programs can easily capture and analyze user data, which can assist in measuring and proving your code’s effectiveness.

It is also easier for users to search for topics in a digital version than it is a print version. Make access to other compliance resources just as easy by inserting one-click links to more detailed company policies, reporting tools and contact information. Going digital also makes it possible for employees to access your code of conduct from anywhere at any time. Provide employees with a direct link to the code from the company intranet.

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If a considerable amount of the company workforce travels often or works on tablet devices, you may want to consider creating a mobile-friendly version of the code.

Be mindful of local laws and cultures that may vary in your areas of operation. If your organization is international, be sure to provide a localized version of the code that is in the native language, sensitive of cultural differences and reflects country-specific information, legislation and regulations. Sometimes company practices and standards of behavior may be inconsistent with practices of that local culture. In these cases, additional explanations may be needed for proper guidance.

Soliciting Feedback and Certification

Adding code certification tracking gives an added layer of due diligence, allowing an organization to verify the receipt and review of the code by every employee. Afterwards, gather feedback to find out what aspects or areas of the code resonated with them and what areas could be improved or clarified. Identify common questions employees still have and address them in the next update.

Making changes based off employee comments will help make your code as effective and engaging as possible. However, it is also important to periodically update your code of conduct to reflect changes in the work environment and regulation requirements.

Companies that create a code of conduct only to satisfy a legal requirement will not gain much value. However, those that take the time to create an engaging code that drives company values and expectations will reap the benefits.

New Year Resolutions for Better Enterprise Security

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Forecasting what the IT security landscape will look like in the year ahead has become an annual technology tradition, and following 2014 as the Year of the Data Breach, I think anyone could make a fairly accurate guess as to what the major trend of the New Year will be: more data breaches.

Forty-three percent of organizations reported a data breach in the past year, a figure that Forrester predicts will rise up to 60% in 2015. And it’s not just the frequency of breaches that we will see escalate in the year ahead, but also that malware will be increasingly difficult to dismantle. P2P, darknet and tor communications will become more prevalent, and forums selling malware and stolen data will retreat further into hidden corners of the Internet in an attempt to avoid infiltration.

By now, it is no longer a matter of if your business is going to be breached, but when. The last thing any organization needs as we enter another year of risk, is a blind side. The good news, though, is that there are ways to prevent them if we act immediately.

We know that an increase in cyber-attacks by stealthier hackers and more sophisticated malware is a sensible prediction – more important, now, is thinking about our resolutions, and how to prepare against what may be lurking ahead.

Here are my top New Year Resolutions for better enterprise security in 2015:

Layer Proactive Defenses

In 2014, many businesses were bitten by data breaches despite spending millions on state-of-the-art, next-generation solutions. In 2015, organizations will have to think smarter and build security from the ground up, layering defenses rather than relying on next-gen panaceas.

Furthermore, this kind of multi-layered approach should encompass more proactive measures – reactive “detective” tactics no longer cut it. Malware has always been hard to detect, and yet I see company after company relying too closely on detection technologies like antivirus (which, believe it or not, works only 50% of the time at best).

Lock Down Data

Following widespread data losses in 2014, businesses should resolve to lock down access to corporate systems and data. This starts with implementing greater control over user accounts and administrative privileges. Employees should always be logging onto systems as a standard user, and even then, businesses need to continue to control and monitor access to files and databases with active anomaly detection. Regular reviews of user roles and their access requirements should become a standard practice.

Ask More Questions

Heartbleed, Shellshock and recently, SChannel attacks have all shaken our confidence in common protocols that underpin much of the internet. Organizations need to practice greater scrutiny in evaluating what is offered by their selected vendors to ensure patching is swift and targeted. Far more questions should be asked around vendors’ processes for code auditing and testing.

Look to Two-Factor Authentication

Many of the attacks of 2014 could have been prevented by two-factor authentication, from the iCloud breach to the eBay compromise. Organizations should be looking to implement two-factor authentication as a way to prevent stolen or shared credentials being used against them. While this method is not a comprehensive solution to address all the security threats we’ll likely face, it does introduce a much needed layer of security.

Don’t Let Security Get in the Way

Stringent security practices are absolutely essential, but they can become a double-edged sword. Locking down system access for instance, although it significantly boosts the organization’s overall security posture, can strike a serious blow to end user productivity. Security must always be top of mind for IT organizations, but you’d be surprised at how quickly appetite to risk changes when its implementation reduces employees’ freedom and flexibility. Here is where deploying strategies like least privilege and sandboxing can have a significant impact by creating a productive and positive working experience for users, without compromising security.

In 2015, businesses should resolve to think smarter about their approach to security. It’s easy to become enamored by the latest glitzy perimeter solutions and invest heavily in next-gen antivirus and firewalls. But, making the most of those investments means thinking more strategically about how they can be layered with more proactive measures and additional safety nets to create a truly defense-in-depth framework. Most of all, we must strive to act on the greatest good principle. After all, IT isn’t the only business stakeholder, and finding a security solution that allows for a seamless user experience is what will most effectively drive adoption – and greater security success.