1) Employers operate disability management programs because it gives them a structured way to manage workplace costs associated with workplace illness and injury. Costs can be controlled through maintaining skilled workers and limiting absences to maintain a productive workforce. The program is also thought to “prevent workplace injury and illness and to accommodate workers in a manner that facilitates early and safe return to work.” (Management of Occupational Health and Safety, 2011, 329) I also feel that employers operate disability management programs as a way to keep themselves out of financial hardship and legal issues which could stem from a workplace injury or illness. The goal of a disability management program is for
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It would be financially beneficial for an employer to review needs assessment data in order to ensure that they are not wasting their time on issues that do not affect their workforce. The focus should be placed on illnesses and injuries that are causing financial impacts. The needs assessment data could also be used in prevention efforts. If there are frequently reported injuries regarding a specific task, it may be in the best interest of the company to put a process in place to prevent this injury, which will increase the company’s return on investment. (Management of Occupational Health and Safety, 2011, 332) The design of the program will also depend on the type of company, such as a company with sedentary work may not put as much focus on prevention or early intervention because the likelihood of physical injury would be low compared to a job with high physical demands.
Dependant upon the size of the budget the company is willing to put into disability management will also determine which of the best practices the company will choose to incorporate into their program. The design of the program will also be affected by the employer’s motivation to create a safe work environment for its employees and how the company as a whole values safety in the workplace. Not all employers only care about the costs as seen in the example of Ontario Power Generation (OPG), which holds workplace safety as a fundamental value. OPG works towards a goal of zero