What The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter", the theme song from Cheers, and RTW have in common, Part II

Last week's post addressed Maslow's needs of Biological, Safety and Belongingness.  Picking up where we left off, here are the last two...

Esteem Needs

Esteem is the human desire to be respected, valued and accepted by others.  Independence is closely tied with self-esteem.  Not until an individual has satisfied their basic biological, safety and belongingness needs, will they be able to focus their efforts on striving for more, achieving more and gaining status among the group.

How can an employer help satisfy this need?

Employers should treat employees, injured or non-injured, with respect and provide them with the opportunity to return to modified duty.  Transitioning an injured worker from restricted to unrestricted work increases a sense of responsibility, control and independence. Without support of esteem needs, learned helplessness may develop, leading an injured worker to lose a sense of accountability, ownership and ability to influence their own situation, despite being given opportunities to do so.

Self-actualization Needs

From 1980-2001, the Army’s recruitment slogan was “Be all you can be.”   It’s about personal growth and performing at your peak.  I highly doubt that any of us will ever reach our peaks in all areas of our lives, as the bar will continuously be raised, just out of reach.  Self-actualization is reached when a person's mental and physical needs are met, enabling an individual to operate at their maximum potential.  Think of it as the best "you" that you can be.

How can an employer help satisfy this need?

Employers play a key role in providing employees with opportunities for growth, advancement, and fostering potential in their employees.  Take the skills of an injured worker and allow them to be used as a modified duty option.  Cross-train employees in various departments to help improve their skills and knowledge within the organization.  By improving an employee’s skills, you’re improving the competitiveness of your company.  After all, your employees are your most valuable asset.

While this is an extrapolated and somewhat diluted take on Maslow’s theory, there is a relationship between employee motivation and returning an injured worker to wellness after a work related injury.  There has been much debate and criticism of Maslow’s "Theory of Motivation," but it remains one of the most widely referenced theories on human motivation, from introductory psychology courses, to risk management books, to political activism.

What The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter", the theme song from Cheers, and RTW have in common, Part I

Welcome to Psychology 101.  Today’s lecture will be on human motivation. 

If you’re still reading by this point, that’s a good sign.

The basis of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is founded upon the notion that we are motivated by unmet needs.  In simple terms, humans strive for improvement, but cannot move forward until the lower level needs are satisfied.  While much of this theory is best exemplified by human behavior in extreme situations (starvation, in the wake of a natural disaster, or a cast-away on a deserted island) the theory is still applicable to returning injured workers to a state of wellness after work-related injury. To return an injured worker to wellness, there are certain needs that must be addressed in order to smoothly and effectively transition an injured worker back to wellness.

 

Biological Needs

Before putting effort into relationships or gaining prestige, humans must first take care of their very basic needs – to eat, to breathe, etc.  At this point we’re not concerned with enjoying life – we’re concerned about extending or even maintaining it. 

How can an employer help satisfy this need?

An employer can make sure the injured worker receives prompt and appropriate medical attention.  Before we can discuss RTW, the injured worker needs to be treated for his injuries and cleared to do some type of work, safely.

Safety Needs

Similarly to the biological needs, we’re still scrambling to make sure that we’re going to physically survive.  Safety needs are a level higher than biological needs.  Think of it as surviving, but in an improved environment. 

The need for stability and order, as well as protection from the elements, is evidenced by an injured worker’s initial concerns after an accident– when will I get paid, how will I keep food on the table, or pay my rent to keep a roof over my head?  How frequently will I receive a check and for how much?  Will I still have a job to return to? 

Sometimes injured workers are scrutinized for asking questions about pay and benefits right away, but what would your top concern be if you were disabled from working?

How can an employer help satisfy this need?

Models, dining out and RTW

One of the most common responses we hear from employers regarding their ability to offer modified duty is:  "This is [insert industry here], we don't have modified duty!"  You fill in the blank -- we've heard it from all types of employers-- construction, home health, temporary staffing, etc.

I then refer to my ever-growing list of employers in their particular industry who accommodate restrictions, And do so with great success, might I add.

There's a common thread among employers that offer modified duty -- it doesn't have to do with their size, industry, or annual sales.  It has to do with their commitment to modified duty.  Those organizations that fully understand and embrace the concept and the power of modified duty find a way to accommodate even the most challenging restrictions.

As humans, we learn through modeling behavior.  No, I don't mean strutting around like you're on the catwalk; I mean observing and emulating the behaviors of others.  Remember the time your child repeated an action (or worse, a phrase) that you weren't so proud in front of an audience?  Guess where they learned it? 

We're still pretty fresh into 2013 and some of you are likely still sticking to your New Year's resolutions.  When trying to eat better but faced with temptations at a restaurant, experts recommend that you ask yourself, "What would a healthy person order?" 

The same goes for RTW.  Ask yourself, what do other successful companies do?  While what works for them may not always be plausible for your organization, I'm sure you could pick up a few good ideas.  Talk to your peers in the industry.  Find out what they do in difficult RTW situations.  Ask us!  Ask your agent!  Ask your risk management consultant or claim representative who have had the experience of resolving issues with organizations who face the same challenges that you do.

If WC were a family, RTW would be Subrogation's long lost cousin

While RTW and subrogation are part of worker's compensation claims, it's easy to treat them like olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Two immiscible ingredients that go on the same salad.  However, just like making vinaigrette, with some work, RTW and subrogation can emulsify and yield a delightfully popular result.

Think of it as a family get-together where Subrina shows up to the [third] party, in her suit, hungry.  Some family members see Subrina as a person who only looks out for herself and is at the table to gorge upon as much as she can, and stuff her pockets with whatever else she can just because she doesn't want anyone else to have it.  The other guests fail to recall that she paid for a nice portion of the food being provided.

Meanwhile, Rhett T. Wellnest (RTW), the long lost cousin, is in the kitchen preparing the food.  He decides that he is going to help everyone with their New Year’s resolutions to get healthy by making up everyone’s plates as opposed to a buffet-style meal.  Rhett limits the amount of food on the table, thereby reducing the amount that Subrina will get.

Subrina may be upset at first, because there’s less food on the table, but realizes that she can only eat so much.  She leaves the table feeling glad that she didn’t over eat. She thanks her cousin Rhett, as it has helped her fill her up (make her whole) and not overindulge.

Optimism, resolutions, gym memberships and RTW!

It’s a new year.  Every 365 days (with the exception of leap years) we say goodbye to one year and greet another, typically with exceptional enthusiasm and optimism --- this year will be better than the last, we will do better on our diets, stick to our budgets, or vow to somehow be a better person than we were last year.  The gyms will be packed with highly motivated individuals for the first few months of the year until all the “resolutioners” fall off of the exercise wagon and settle into our old habits.  There goes the optimism, right?

The same thing can happen with your vow to bring injured workers back to modified duty.  When the claim starts out, you are committed to bring the injured worker back.  And then you hit the first bump in the road – you receive a copy of the injured worker’s sedentary restrictions.

This year, you vow to implement a RTW program.  2013 will be the year!  But then, something else comes along that is more urgent and the RTW program gets put aside, for what you tell yourself will only be a week or two.

Are you seeing the pattern here?