Programs that successfully put injured workers back in the workforce hinge on communication and collaboration, insurers say.

The National Council on Compensation Insurance on April 4 published a report providing insurer perspectives on the components and tools of successful return-to-work programs.

“One of the items that all the insurers talked about for the program to be successful was management commitment,” said David Austin, affiliate services executive at NCCI in Boca Raton, Florida.

“It starts with the willingness of management to utilize return-to-work strategies within their business operations, and needs to be a formal process embedded into the culture of the organization,” said John Lacy, assistant vice president of workers compensation at The Hanover Insurance Group.

“When employees are injured, it should be clear that the organization wants them returned to work when possible, even if it begins in a modified state of duty,” Mr. Lacy said.

Employee job descriptions greatly enhance the ability of an organization to do that, he added, providing a foundation to easily alter jobs to the physical conditions allowed for the injured worker. 

“There may be opportunities for the business to demonstrate creativity in return-to-work job descriptions for the benefit of the injured worker to accommodate limitations created by the work comp claim,” Mr. Lacy said.

In making accommodations, employers often overlook the ability to alter a job or create a temporary position for the injured worker through modified duties as they recover, Mr. Lacy said.

Another key component often overlooked is developing a relationship with a dedicated medical facility before the injury occurs, said Michael Noble, senior vice president at FCCI Insurance Group in Sarasota, Florida.

“Providing your employees, treating physicians, physical therapists, and insurance carrier a copy of your return-to-work program allows all parties to understand what options are available throughout treatment and your goal for the injured employee to return to work as soon as possible,” Mr. Noble said.

Some insurers use a network with medical providers who work with occupational injuries and who are knowledgeable about transitional return-to-work programs. Insurers emphasized the role of the return-to-work coordinator to ensure the entire process runs smoothly, according to the report.

Other tools insurers reported using focus on education on the benefits of return-to-work programs, along with the necessary administrative steps to achieve success, particularly for small and midsize accounts that may not have a formal program. 

“Our claims adjusters and our loss control teams work together to help support our employers through the whole process,” Mr. Lacy said. “We offer education and training as well as a return-to-work program guide that can easily be modified and approved for use by our customers.”

“At FCCI, risk control consultants provide onsite consultative services to help guide our customers on their journey to implementation,” said Mindy Felicien, risk control supervisor at FCCI in Sarasota.

The company’s return-to-work program offers an outline for implementation, sample “job task banks” with details on job roles and responsibilities, and various sample letters that can be used throughout the process, Ms. Felicien said.