WORKPLACE WELLNESS

Workplace wellness is a growing topic of discussion in general but specifically within the field of workers’ compensation claims. The increasing advancement of mobile and wearable technology is a topic of particular importance to the workers’ compensation industry due to the benefits it can provide as organizations seek to increase wellness within the workplace. Insurance companies within the workers’ compensation claims sector must embrace new technologies and also must take a proactive approach in order to leverage the maximum cost savings and reduce the overall occurrence of claims.  

As technology advances and provides increased access to unlimited information at our fingertips through smartphones, computers, and tablets it represents a multitude of possibilities for improving workplace wellness and preventing some work-related injuries from ever occurring. Tom Ryan’s ideas written up in the Insurance Journal in February of 2017 provide some advantageous insights into new and innovative ways to implement wearable technology to reduce and perhaps even prevent some workplace accidents.  

The most effective way to introduce this new technology within the workplace, especially to those who are not typically early adopters of technology, is to provide an ultra-convenient method of integration. The popularity of wearable technology seems to be on the rise as one such convenient method. Watches, in particular, offer a lightweight and non-intrusive way to have technology always at the ready. A wearable watch is not likely to be forgotten or left at a desk and provides an inconspicuous way for an employer to ensure that employees are working at the correct location and at the appropriate times, which is especially vital to insurance companies offering home health care services to claimants.  

Wearable technology could be further utilized within the workplace to enhance safety and ultimately reduce the amount of employee injuries, therefore reducing the occurrence of workers’ compensation claims. Once these forms of innovative technology are embraced within a workplace, the potential to reduce incidents falling under the umbrella of workers’ compensation claims is significant. Those working in a highly dangerous work environment, such as construction sites or mining jobs, who wear safety equipment to alert them to dangerous situations that could cause injury will be better able to avoid injury altogether. This is beneficial not only to the employee but also to the employer and to that employer’s insurance company.  

In addition to the early adoption of preventative technology, insurance companies can further reduce the overall cost of workers’ compensation claims by partnering with a third-party administrator (TPA) of these claims. Northwood is a highly trusted and experienced TPA of workers’ compensation claims and works together with insurance companies to reduce costs, increase claimant satisfaction and reduce administrative burdens on estimators.  

For more information about how partnering with Northwood will reduce the cost of workers’ compensation claims for your company, please contact Rosanne Brugnoni at 586-755-3830 ext. 3771 at your convenience.