Ensuring your employees are protected under workers’ compensation is a necessity for most businesses. It’s estimated that companies pay nearly $1 billion weekly for direct workers’ compensation costs alone, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. But besides tacking on workers’ compensation insurance, adopting safety protocols and paying attention to other common factors that impact premiums on the insurance coverage, employers should also be looking into ways to lower costs. One way this could be achieved is by securing a wellness program for your business. The number of workers’ comp claims you file isn’t just an indicator of how safe your work atmosphere is; it’s a reflection of the overall health and well-being of your entire workforce.
How can wellness programs reduce workers’ comp costs?
Companies that have holistic wellness programs that are focused on prevention and integrated with risk management can project improvement in safety results and reduce workplace accidents, medical claims, and the total cost of risk to a company. But it’s important to know what specific factors play a role in raising costs and understand what needs to be done to limit them.
Here are some ways in which wellness programs and workers compensation plans go hand-in-hand to lower overall costs:
Obesity & Fitness
A rising number of Americans are considered to be obese by average standards. This status can lead to such health issues as diabetes, physical inactivity, and hypertension. Obesity is listed as one of the top chronic health conditions driving health-related costs for employers as those with a body mass index of 25 or higher have nearly twice the risk of filing for short-term disability.
Providing resources and driving initiatives to help your employees manage their weight could be a huge driving force behind lowering the number and severity of your overall workers’ compensation claims.
Depression & Anxiety
Americans are reporting significant and sustained increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to recent data from Healthline and YouGov’s COVID-19 tracker. Depression is among the leading causes of disease or injury throughout the world and research has shown that employees who are injured on the job have higher incidences of depression.
What’s more, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) says that 43 percent of those who suffer from severe depression also experience serious difficulties in work, home, and social activities.
Depression is another top chronic health condition that drives healthcare costs for employers. Furthermore, those who have depression can experience more absenteeism from work and lower productivity, and may be at greater risk for mental disorders, substance abuse, and smoking.
Someone on the job who becomes injured may experience depression from staying at home or not feeling like they’ll be able to get back to the productivity level they were once at. Plus, someone who experiences depression will likely experience a longer recovery time, which results in higher workers’ compensation costs. This emphasizes the point that staying engaged with recovering workers to keep an eye on their needs and show support can help to encourage their return to work and limit costs.
Stress
Another indicator of potential workers’ compensation claims is high amounts of stress. Research shows that there is a link between stress and work-related injuries and that it increases the chances of a claim being filed. It’s not just stress at work, but at home as well. As part of an effective wellness program, businesses should consider developing a stress-reduction program to limit the associated risks and rising workers’ comp costs.
Wellness can do more than just keep healthcare premiums low. It can help a business limit its overall risk, including workers’ compensation costs. In order to protect their business, employers need to protect their employees. A solid wellness program can be what drives employees to take control of their health and wellbeing.
About InsureMyWorkComp & Their Workers Comp Solutions
InsureMyWorkComp is a digital brokerage that helps clients find the right workers’ compensation solution for their business needs, such as occupational accident insurance. Unlike other online platforms, we will help you to work with an agent who can provide you the right solution for your risk profile. Our staff has over 50 years of workers’ compensation underwriting and sales experience, and we are confident that we will provide you the support that you need. For more information or to get a quote, contact us today at (855) 340-9138.