An Overlooked Benefit of Corporate Wellness Programs

Understanding how healthier employees reduce Workers' Compensation claims

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Nov 20, 2013, 11:18 ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In a world where rising healthcare costs have become the norm, employers frequently rely on corporate wellness programs to help reduce the costs of healthcare claims. While the benefits of creating a healthier workforce are well known in human resource departments, a new report by Lockton looks at how wellness programs also can reduce a company's workers' compensation claims.

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The report, authored by Lockton's Michal Gnatek, is titled "Wellness Programs: The Positive Impact on Workers' Compensation Claims." Gnatek explains the role comorbidities are playing in workers' compensation claims and the steps a company can take to realize a positive impact of their wellness programs.

"Effective corporate wellness initiatives have shown to be successful in not only reducing the duration of lost-time workers' compensation claims," said Gnatek, "but also in promoting healthy behaviors that potentially inhibit unsafe or inattentive workplace behavior. Risk managers and claims professionals should be adding employee wellness to the available arsenal of weapons to combat increasing claims."

Lockton recommends risk managers become well acquainted with their companies' wellness program and then determine what data on comorbid factors are currently being captured by their insurer or third party administrator. Collaborating with internal safety, health, human resource, and environment professionals will help risk managers discover how best to integrate employee wellness with workplace safety.

About Lockton
More than 4,900 professionals at Lockton provide 35,000 clients around the world with risk management, insurance, and employee benefits consulting services that improve their businesses. From its founding in 1966 in Kansas City, Missouri, Lockton has attracted entrepreneurial professionals who have driven its growth to become the largest privately held insurance broker in the world and 9th largest overall. Independent researcher Greenwich Associates has awarded Lockton its Service Excellence Award for risk management for large companies. For five consecutive years, Business Insurance has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." To see the latest insights from Lockton's experts, check Lockton Market Update.

SOURCE Lockton