Work-related musculoskeletal injury costs the Australian economy $28billion per year. The average cost of a musculoskeletal claim in Queensland is $7049 – and that’s just the statutory costs. It doesn’t take into account the cost your business invests in managing the claim, investigating the incident, time lost for having a worker at reduced capacity or on suitable duties, time spent traveling to Drs visits – the list goes on. In the event that the injury results in a common law claim, it is going to hurt your bottom line even more. In Queensland across 2014-2015, the average common law claim cost was $138 257. Workplace injuries not only carry a tremendous cost; they also have negative effects on the culture of your business.
What can be done?
Where there is a problem there is a tremendous opportunity. Investing in your workforce by having early access to onsite physiotherapy services and occupational interventions is continually supported by contemporary literature as effective means of decreasing work-related injury rates and compensation claims.
Isn’t workplace physio expensive?
Workplace injuries are expensive. Investing in workplace physiotherapy is one of the rare opportunities your business will have to genuinely improve the lives and well-being of your workers while also seeing a return for your business.
What type of Return on Investment would we see?
Here are the 10 ways your business would see a return on investment if you chose to proactively engage in a workplace health and occupational physiotherapy service:
- Decreased worker’s compensation claim numbers and associated cost. (including the hidden costs of managing claims). This can result in reduced Workers’ Compensation premium.
- Reduced common law liability. Less claims = less likelihood of a common law claim.
- Less reliance on external health providers - Bringing it in-house results in decreased trips to the doctor or off-site physio, saving your business with travel costs.
- Less sick absence due to musculoskeletal complaints.
- Less sick absence due to chronic disease.
- Less sick absence due to psychological disorders.
- Improved market performance - Business who invest in the health of their workforce are recognised as delivering better market performance and greater return to shareholders.
- Increased productivity - Healthy workers are productive workers.
- Decreased presenteeism - In young workers, the mean average cost of presenteeism (at work but unproductive) in Australia is $10 674 per worker, per year.
- Greater retention - 17% less people quit when provided with workplace health & occupational physio services.
Seeing is believing! Here are two case studies illustrating the benefits of onsite proactive physio programs:
Employ Health Case Study_Sprains and Strains - Manufacturing
Employ Health Case Study_Logistics and Distribution
There you have it. 10 ways your business could save through engaging workplace health and occupational physiotherapy services. If you’ve got any queries about the data or would like any further information regarding the services Employ Health offer please email me at zac.lowth@employhealth.com.au.
