1. Review job descriptions of other positions.
If you don't have job descriptions (tisk! tisk!) then think about the less physically demanding elements of each position within your company. Make a list of these tasks. Ask other managers or supervisors if they have any "extra" work that needs to be done. Most people have a name for this type of list...we'll call it the never-ending, ever-expanding to-do list. Sure, re-organizing the toolboxes on the trucks would help, but who has the time? Answer: Your injured employee! Yes, having well-stocked first aid kits in every vehicle would be a nicety, but who has the time? Answer: Your injured employee! Bonus tip: Keep this list in the same place you keep your WC insurance information -- there's no need to reinvent the wheel the next time you experience a lost time claim.
2. Ask the injured worker
It is astonishing how many employers don't involve the injured worker in the RTW conversation. I bet there are at least 10 things that you do, weekly, if not daily, that fall into the "other duties as assigned" category of your job description. Most likely, your boss doesn't even realize they're being done, but would sure notice if they weren't. The point is, the injured worker knows their job better than anyone else and if asked, they could probably identify at least a handful of things they could do. Offer a bit of cross-training and voila! That brings us to our next tip...
3. Offer a few hours of cross-training
The payoff for this tip can be extensive. There's nothing more frustrating than having one of your team members taken out of work when you need them. Consider any type of cross-training opportunities. Could they learn to answer the phones? Make follow up customer satisfaction calls? Could the injured worker learn to write estimates or coordinate deliveries? Even if it takes 10 hours to train someone, it could yield weeks of valuable, meaningful, productive modified duty. This could also free up some of your other team members to get to more pressing issues.
4. Add value to your organization with RTW
What if you could use a challenging situation (such as a WC claim) to increase sales or customer satisfaction? An example of this involves an appliance retailer. The injured worker couldn't deliver appliances, but knew how to operate them. Today's appliances involve many technological advances, buttons, self-cleaning, filters, etc. I, up until a few months ago, didn't know my microwave had a "potato" button. Apparently my mother-in-law didn't either. I was so excited to discover this feature, but wished that someone had shown me sooner! So, why not have the injured worker do a new customer orientation, demonstrating all of the functions of the appliance, best practices for maintaining and cleaning that tricky flat top stove... You get my point. I'm pretty sure the big box stores aren't doing something like that...
5. Use a work injury as an opportunity to improve safety
Consider having an injured worker review safety materials, watch safety videos for your industry, or even conduct a "tool box talk" that will help prevent future injuries. When the message is coming from an injured worker, it carries greater weight. This shouldn't be punitive, but it should be viewed as an opportunity to increase safety culture, to learn from a negative event, and to accommodate restrictions.
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