For companies, developing an efficient return-to-work program is an important priority. People get injured on the job all the time, and such injuries can be costly not only for the worker, but also for the company. Still, it is in the company’s best interest to do everything possible to get the person back to work as soon as possible.
One reason for this is that a good return-to-work program can help cut down on workers’ compensation costs. There are a number of things companies can do to ensure their back-to-work program is as effective as possible, but we’d like to highlight here that it is important for employees to advocate for their own interests throughout the process.
While it may be in the best interest of an employer to get an injured employee back on the job, it is not always beneficial for the employee. Depending on how serious the injury is, returning to work may further complicate any issues. While workers do get a boost in morale by increasing productivity, they are not able to produce in the long run if they are suffering with serious harm that is making problems worse.
All this is to say that working people need to be mindful about when they are not able to return to employment, and they should know what their rights are in terms of the workers’ compensation system. The latter is there to support employees who have suffered on the job, and employees need to know how to exercise their rights with respect to this important legal benefit.
Source: Safety.blr.com, “7 tips for getting injured employees back on the job,” March 21, 2014.