How One Workforce Benefited From Proactive Accommodations

Recently, a manufacturing client contacted the Workplace Possibilities^SM program for recommendations on ergonomic adjustments that could be made to their entire production line to help improve the way employees were working. Like most production-oriented jobs, this client’s employees engaged in repetitive movements throughout their workday, which could create potential injuries or chronic pain down the road. The manufacturer recognized there may be opportunities to make changes proactively and potentially reduce the incidence of injury.

I began by visiting the facility to watch the employees work and understand their roles and responsibilities. Following my review, I was able to make recommendations that could reduce the possibility of work-related injuries, and also prevent employees from exacerbating existing conditions. The client was able to make a few simple, inexpensive changes — like adjusting production table height to eliminate employees working in awkward postures for extended periods of time — that may end up making a positive impact over time.

The Benefits of a Preventive Approach

This client’s story helps highlight the benefits of contacting your disability insurance provider to help identify proactive ergonomic accommodations that can be implemented across a workforce. There are many benefits to engaging proactive assistance, but here are a few of the most important:

You Get a Second Set of Eyes

Processes that have been in place for years may seem like second nature, but sometimes these processes need to be adjusted so they don’t cause problems for your employees. Bringing in an outside ergonomics expert to your workplace can help provide a fresh and valuable perspective to help identify risk factors that could become problematic if not addressed.

You Can Leverage Insights From Their Knowledge and Connections

I’ve mentioned previously that the Workplace Possibilities program has numerous resources in place to help vet and test ergonomic equipment, so we can recommend the best solutions to clients in various work settings. Not only that, our disability consultants have expertise in different industries — like manufacturing, health care and even educational settings. These experts know what works, and can apply learnings from other similar environments within your workforce.

You May Be Able to Prevent Larger Issues

A small problem now could evolve into an injured employee who needs to take disability leave later. Improving your processes before that and implementing proactive accommodations can help create a healthy environment for everyone.

By contacting the Workplace Possibilities team, this employer was able to leverage our resources and consultants to help the company take action to help create a healthier, happier and more productive future for its workforce.