Workers’ compensation claims can be complex. Not only are you dealing with the administrative side of the claim—like reporting and paperwork—but you also have to handle the interpersonal aspects of filing. For HR managers or claims administrators, effective employee communication is crucial when it comes to workers’ comp claims.
If you have an employee who’s been injured on the job, clear communication can make a huge difference. It’s not only important that your employee feels heard, but also that they receive the best possible outcome for their claim. If you’re in charge of workers’ comp claims management, keep reading for key strategies for effective communication as well as the role of PEOs in streamlining that process.
Key Strategies for Effective Claims Communication
When it comes to workers’ compensation claims management, there are some key communication strategies to keep in mind that can help support your employees.
1. Initiate contact right away
First and foremost, reach out as soon as an employee reports their injury. Initiating contact is so important for ensuring your worker feels as supported as possible. Showing your employee that you genuinely care about their well-being can be incredibly comforting to them as they’re navigating a difficult experience.
2. Follow-up consistently
Keep in mind that your employee is recovering, so it’s important not to overwhelm them with follow-ups. It is, however, a good idea to keep them in the loop with their claim status, check in with them about their healing process, and answer any work- or claim-related questions they might have. Find a good balance of making sure they feel involved while also avoiding over-communicating while they have time to rest and recover.
3. Practice active listening
Your employee will know better than anyone what their experience was like of the injury. Listen actively to their needs and concerns so that they feel completely supported throughout the process.
4. Make return-to-work preparations
When an employee gets injured on the job, in addition to worrying about their own well-being, they may also start feeling anxious about how much work they’ll have to miss and what that means for their position with the company. It’s important to make a return-to-work plan for your employee so that they feel assured they’ll still have their job when they return.
Role of PEOs in Streamlining Communication
Professional employer organizations (PEOs) handle the administrative tasks of a business—including workers’ compensation claims—to help make these processes more efficient.
When it comes to workers’ comp, partnering with a PEO means that you—as the employer—won’t need to worry about the admin side of the claim. PEOs will take care of the initial filing and documentation, keeping up with the status of the claim, as well as speaking with medical providers and insurance companies. Because PEOs specialize in workers’ comp claims, you can feel confident that the claim will be filed in a timely manner and the documentation will be thoroughly completed, helping ensure the best possible outcome for your employee.
PEOs step in to handle the logistics of workers’ comp claim filing, which means you’ll have more space to communicate with your injured employee from a place of genuine care and concern. Instead of stressing about paperwork and the details of documentation, consider calling or visiting your injured employee to check in on how they’re feeling.
Ultimately, partnering with a PEO means streamlined communication to help the entire claim process go smoothly, less stress for you as the employer, and a better experience and outcome for your injured worker.
Enhancing Workers’ Comp Outcomes with Better Communication
Effective communication is crucial when it comes to workers’ compensation claims. Better communication can help your injured employee feel much more supported during the process, ensuring a better overall experience during what could otherwise be an incredibly stressful time.
If you’re ready to enhance your workers’ compensation claim filing experience with better communication, consider how a PEO can help. Reach out to OCMI workers’ comp today to get the support your business needs!
High-risk industries play a pivotal role in the way our world operates. Construction, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and beyond are essential to a thriving society. Despite the importance of these industries, however, they can pose unique safety threats for the individuals who are a part of them.
These industries often involve working with heavy machinery, working in hazardous or toxic environments, or immense physical exertion. As a high-risk business owner or industry operator, you know that these working conditions make it even more important to protect your workers in the event of an accident on the job.
While workers’ compensation is crucial for high-risk industries, there may be challenges to getting the coverage you need. Let’s take a look at why customized payroll solutions are necessary as well as how to tailor workers’ comp payroll for high-risk industries.
The Need for Customized Payroll Solutions
Customized payroll solutions can be incredibly beneficial when it comes to high-risk industries. Not only do these jobs require a great deal of training, but they’re also often completed on a project-by-project basis—which means traditional workers’ compensation may not make sense.
Working project-to-project
Many high-risk jobs—like trucking and transportation, or construction work—are done one project at a time, rather than on a full-time set schedule. Traditional workers’ compensation typically takes a one-size-fits-all approach. When your employees work project-to-project, traditional workers’ comp may mean paying for more than you need.
Taking risks into consideration
High-risk jobs often require physical exertion or involve working with heavy equipment or in hazardous environments. It’s imperative that your workers understand these risks as well as how to navigate them safely while at work. In addition to proper training, workers’ compensation coverage should be appropriate for the risks involved at work. If an accident does occur on the job, keeping your employees protected should be the top priority.
Navigating Compliance
Compliance with rules and regulations can be challenging for high-risk industries. Often within these industries, workers travel across state lines temporarily to complete the job at hand. Workplace safety is essential, but it can be difficult to keep up with ever-changing laws that differ from state-to-state.
How to Tailor Workers’ Comp Payroll for High-Risk Industries
High-risk industries often require customized solutions to workers’ compensation insurance. How can your business tailor workers’ comp to meet the specific needs of your team? One effective way is by partnering with a professional employer organization—or a PEO.
Pay-as-you-go programs
PEOs offer pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation programs that are specifically designed for your organization and employees. Because PEOs work with many different clients, they’re able to pool everyone together to get great coverage at more affordable rates.
Pay-as-you-go programs are perfect for industries that often work on a project-by-project basis rather than a full-time set schedule. Working with a PEO helps ensure high-risk industry workers get the coverage they need, without paying for more than what’s necessary.
Risk mitigation
Risk management is another great benefit of working with a PEO. PEOs offer safety training programs during the onboarding process for new hires, as well as for existing employees throughout their time with the company. This helps new team members feel comfortable and ready to jump into work, and it helps keep your existing workers up-to-speed with current safety practices.
PEOs can also provide safety assessments so that businesses can clearly see where their strengths and weaknesses are in terms of creating a safe work environment. The results of these assessments can then be used to implement training programs that are aimed specifically at improving safety in weaker areas.
Conquering compliance
Remaining compliant with state and federal regulations is important not only for avoiding fines and penalties, but also for keeping your workers safe on the job. PEOs specialize in compliance. Because they aren’t limited to one location, PEOs have a firm understanding of state-specific regulations when it comes to workplace safety and workers’ compensation. When you partner with a PEO, you can rest assured that your business will remain in compliance no matter where your workers are located.
Ensuring Safety and Compliance with Customized Solutions
Customizing workers’ comp payroll solutions is essential for high-risk industries. If you’re ready to get support in tailoring your workers’ compensation to meet the needs of your business, reach out to the experienced team at OCMI workers’ comp today!
