Amid the Great Resignation, refreshing your RTW policy and marketing it as an employee benefit may be a way to attract and retain workers as employees see their employer is taking care of them.
RTW in the Age of the Pandemic, Endemic, and Technology
In the wake of the pandemic, new doors have opened to RTW solutions. Consider the same remote work possibilities that proved successful during lockdown for injured employees transitioning back to work.
Flexibility and creativity are keys to success. Here are various ways to accommodate employees with physical limitations:
- An office employee whose only restriction is driving might be allowed to temporarily work from home.
- An employee who must rest their hands every hour to prevent a carpal tunnel flare-up might be given more schedule flexibility with remote work.
- Advances in technology such as voice-activated software that converts speech dictation to text offer many applications and are another consideration for employees with limited use of their hands.
- Employers could use existing automation to accommodate employees with heavy lifting or repetitive motion restrictions, particularly in production lines, manufacturing, and food processing.
- Taking it a step further, integrating robotics into workflow may help prevent injuries caused by heavy work in the first place.
- Injured workers receiving medical treatment could be encouraged to take advantage of telehealth when feasible to reduce travel and lost time.
- Employees who commute to an office or travel for client meetings and are prohibited from weight bearing could temporarily participate virtually over Zoom.
When remote temporary light duties are feasible, it’s important to understand the worker’s home environment and any obstacles to productivity and offer help when possible. If there are ergonomic issues, the insurance carrier’s loss control department might be able to assist. In addition to recovering from an injury, employees may face family challenges, such as caregiving duties if they have young children and/or aging parents. If your employee benefits package includes a caregiving benefit, make sure to remind injured employees about these and other resources, such as your employee assistance program (EAP) if you have one. In this way, RTW can be integrated as part of an employer’s health and wellness initiatives.
Similarly, with so many overlapping disability and leave laws, including the recent COVID-19 sick pay regulations such as CA SB 114, employees will no doubt appreciate employers incorporating information about other absence management and leave policies as well as public health guidance and local and federal mandates into the RTW policy.
The pandemic has also changed the way employers and employees communicate. With less in-person interaction, employees feel more disconnected even without an injury. A disabling injury just adds insult to, well, injury. It’s important to check in with injured employees more frequently throughout their recovery and transitional work period so they feel supported, and adjustments can be made to jobs as necessary. Consider designating an RTW coordinator from your HR or people team to minimize employee frustration and improve communication.
Commit to Employee Benefits by Updating Your RTW Policy
Employers now have a new lens from which to view RTW plans, plus expanded options, such as technology tools and remote work, when assessing modified and alternative work.
Woodruff Sawyer has created an editable transitional RTW policy template for sharing with your new employees at the time of hire, and for sharing with injured employees to let them know there are options for returning to work. This shows your team you’re serious and dedicated to their health and well-being.