These pillars also can be supported by a provision for an onsite disability management consultant who acts as the “quarterback” for the program.

These components are designed to increase productivity and keep people at work, which can likely help employers save thousands in lost production, absence and disability-related costs, as well as help retain and motivate talent. Brokers will surely benefit from bringing this holistic option to the table.

Reviving the EAP

EAPs have been in existence for more than 70 years and offer various types of short-term counseling to employees and their family members. These programs can be very effective in helping individuals work through a variety of personal concerns or issues negatively impacting their health and productivity. Although most employers have EAPs, they remain a vastly underused benefit.

EAP usage is likely to become more important, however, due to mental health issues—such as anxiety and depression—contributing to an increasing number of short-term disability absences. The need for EAPs has never been greater, and employers should take advantage of a disability management program that facilitates and increases employees' usage of, and benefits from, an EAP.

A versatile absence and disability management program that uses an onsite consultant such as a nurse or vocational rehabilitation professional can further assist employees in getting the help they need through an EAP. With help from an onsite consultant, the EAP can connect directly with the individual to make sure he or she is receiving proper treatment and getting back to a healthier return-to-work state.

A good example of this is a retail associate manager who suffered a devastating loss of a loved one. The person experienced sleep disturbances and struggled with grief and loss. In the end, the person was diagnosed with acute stress disorder. An onsite consultant with the company's EAP was able to step in and help, by consistently following up with the employee to monitor the person's mood and state. The consultant also encouraged the person to seek care from a mental health counselor, and then worked closely with the counselor to provide a background on the conditions for proper treatment.

An EAP is a critical benefit offering. Maximizing an absence and disability management program with an EAP, and supporting its usage through a program's onsite consultant, not only can increase workplace productivity but also can demonstrate to employees that they are truly cared for and valued.

New solutions

Health advocacy is another key ingredient of a successful absence and disability management program that can help employers' combat declining productivity at the workplace.

Health advocates are trained professionals, typically registered nurses, who best understand how to navigate the many complexities of the health care system and can help individuals with a variety of issues, including:

• Locating and researching various treatments for medical conditions
• Scheduling appointments with hard-to-reach specialists
• Understanding complicated medical conditions or procedures
• Negotiating fees
• Explaining a bill

Many times, health advocacy services cover not only the employee but also the employee's spouse, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law. And because the personal health advocates are trained medical professionals, they maintain strict confidentiality and preserve patient rights.

Take, for example, an employee who needs to find a new doctor or specialist for her sick child. The individual, thinking it would only take a lunch break to research and identify an appropriate physician, greatly miscalculates the amount of effort necessary to find a doctor and ends up using valuable work time to get it resolved. This lost time is in addition to the added stress and burden on the employee that may affect his or her productivity the remainder of the day.

The biggest benefit of health advocacy services is how it removes the burden and stress from the minds of employees when they might normally be using work time to get through these types of concerns.

Absence prevention

Many employers are programmed to believe that once an employee has an illness, physical injury or mental health problem, the only option for the individual is to take a disability absence or LOA. Being absent from the workplace isn't always necessary; in fact, some medical authorities believe it can be avoided in many cases.

Something as simple and cost-effective as an ergonomic solution or a job modification can likely prevent or reduce the duration of a disability absence or LOA. It also can help prevent further injury and mitigate potential risks.

Among absence and disability providers that offer this benefit, the most effective model is one that will provide an onsite consultant that is proficient in ergonomics to assess the workplace. This professional will help the employer identify opportunities where an ergonomics solution or job modification can be used.

For example, think of an employee with severe anxiety who has taken a disability absence or LOA. An onsite consultant can work with the employer and the employee's therapist or physician to determine the best course of action in getting the employee healthy and back to work as soon as possible. The solution could be as simple as reducing the employee's hours to part-time. A flexible schedule allows for proper recovery, and gradually getting back to full-time hours puts less stress on the individual and helps ensure a long-term stay at work.

Chronic physical conditions, such as back pain or carpal tunnel syndrome, also are common causes of disability absences. The onsite consultant may help prevent an employee from taking a disability absence or LOA by making workplace modifications in order to remove barriers to productivity. Depending on the physical issue, this could result in a more supportive chair, an ergonomic-friendly computer mouse or a lifting aid. A solution, big or small, can alleviate some of the pain and discomfort associated with an injury, and also prevent further trauma.

Accommodations can enable employees to remain on the job safely and also allow an individual to better work at his or her full potential. Not only do employers save significantly on costs by avoiding or reducing the duration of a disability absence or LOA, but the employee will feel extremely valued by his or her organization.

Better tracking

Tracking and managing LOAs can be a job in itself. Employers have to follow and comply with evolving federal guidelines and state requirements, as well as complete labor-intensive processes that may involve multiple stakeholders and departments.

Intermittent leaves (scheduled or unscheduled leaves taken in separate blocks of time) alone are responsible for 8 percent of Family Medical Leave Act regulated LOAs. These leaves have become a major pain point for employers because of the administrative burden and the productivity problems caused by some employees' use and abuse of intermittent leave.

Brokers can help employers find a program with a customer-focused approach to absence, as well as a platform that fully integrates the intake, management and reporting of various leaves, including incidental unplanned and extended absences. This type of program will enable employers to better control and track various LOAs and allow the HR department to focus their time and energy on other critical needs in the workplace.

Putting it all together

It's crucial brokers let employers know of the powerful options that are available when it comes to absence and disability management. With an integrated absence and disability management program focused on keeping employees at work and productive, employers can realize many positive results such as increased return-to-work rates, reduced direct costs of workers' compensation or disability and decreased overall absenteeism/presenteeism. Additionally, it can help employers retain top talent, boost employee morale and, most importantly, maintain productivity during still uncertain times. 

Michael Klachefsky is national practice leader of The Standard's Workplace Possibilities program. He has more than 30 years experience in the absence/disability management and productivity industry. He can be contacted at [email protected] or 971-321-2679.