Written by Dr. Claire Muselman
The principal components of workers’ compensation insurance are built on the presumption of restoring the lives of someone who has had an unforeseen event occur in the workplace. The purpose of workers’ compensation is to restore the life of the injured human being and help empower this person to once again be a functional contributing member of society. It is so simple. Someone is injured in the workplace, and we fix them so they can get back to work and on with their life. BUT, and this is a big but, this is not what happens.
The workers’ compensation landscape needs a serious pick me up, pep talk, and overall makeover. In our present state, the industry is seen as a dark and dreary cesspool of misery. What should it look like?
I have a vision and a dream for this industry. The workers’ compensation system should be a gorgeous, vibrant space where people make good things happen for one another every day, restoring lives and building up people to once again be their best selves. Add some glitter, add some sparkles, and we have a collective community who makes it easy for someone who has been injured to recover. Add in the component that the people who help do this, such as the adjusting team, feel that they are making meaningful contributions to purposefully-drive someone back to their life, to live, thrive, and prosper.
So… how do we get there? It is time to start educating and paying attention to the science of human behavior. We, as a collective industry, have spent countless decades educating adjusters on statutes, rules, regulations, and parameters to focus upon.
What we have not done is focus our educational and training efforts on the most important piece… the human experience. Workers’ compensation is about people! Working with people, helping people along a healing process, and doing so in a manner that allows injured humans a psychologically safe space to be seen, heard, acknowledged, and valued. The time has come to refocus and shift the knowledge base we have into a scientific approach to the behavioral patterns of humans to have a more pleasurable experience for everyone involved. In addition to this being a happier environment and a positive organizational culture shift, it is the right thing to do. AND it is financially beneficial!! Yes, please listen claims organizations… operating in a manner of this capacity will reduce costs from a claims standpoint and in human capital.
Our training programs have led us to the landscape in which we currently see mistrust, litigation, and negative messaging. I want to change this, and I believe we can pivot the injured worker experience to a positive light moving forward. Not only will this benefit the injured worker recovery, the injured worker healing process, and the injured worker experience, it will benefit the meaning and purpose adjusters feel in their roles daily. As a prior adjuster, I know it is a thankless position to hold… I also know it is an incredibly powerful one and my favorite to date. Where else can you single-handedly change the trajectory of someone’s life for the better every single time you pick up the phone? You can improve someone’s day through every interaction. It is time to start teaching like this and beginning our experiences in the workers’ compensation industry through this path. It is time to change the industry. Let us come together and do this!
What needs to be done?
Insurance Carriers/TPAs/Adjusters…Let’s revamp your programming, training, & education! The solution is here. Introducing, The Orange Lab.
The Orange Lab. The Orange Lab is taking adjuster meaning, purpose, training, and education to the levels needed to add needed color, flare, and sparkle to reinvigorate the injured worker experience. Through courses, presentations, community think tanks, and networking, The Orange Lab will help individuals and organizations change the way they think, communicate, and come to the table to differentiate the overall experience in workers’ compensation.
Some of the course topics to be covered in The Orange Lab:
Attitude: Attitude is felt on the phone through tone! Insurance Companies and TPAs have an impactful power starting at the adjusting desk. Working kindly is so important in this industry and can have a substantial ripple effect. Learn what to say, when to say it, and WHY what is said matters through the science of human behavioral patterns.
Organization: Learn how to set realistic time frames and expectations throughout the claims process. The more you can explain the claims process along the way, the better understanding the injured worker will have because you are walking them through the experience. Organizing your days can make or break the experience for you, your organization, and the injured worker.
Accountability: Do what you say you are going to do is simple enough concept…execution and follow through are where adjusters find themselves in trouble. The Orange Lab will help show you how to involve employers, medical providers, and strategic partners to enhance the experience of the parties involved by establishing accountability check points along the journey of the claims experience.
Unconventional Methods: There are so many ways to enhance the experience we have not tapped into yet in workers’ compensation. The Orange Lab will help you learn tools such as assisting an injured worker to cultivate a vision from the first call. What does a successful recovery look like and how can we use mediums like a vision board to get there?
Communication: From verbal language to written language, The Orange Lab will teach you a plethora of mediums to create a consumable information experience. Having a couple different avenues of communication available helps reiterate the information you are communicating as well as provides follow up references. Transparency is key. Learn how to bring people down the recovery journey with you!
“The Orange Lab, educating humanity in workers’ compensation to brighten the industry leaving an everlasting ripple effect.”
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