Developing an Early Intervention EAP Presented by: Robert Migliore Director, Actevate A new take on Employee Assistance Programs

Act small Think BIG Don’t be BIG

Act Small Listen: Start the communication process by engaging all of your staff at every level Identify: Scope out the bullies and the knockers. Investigate: How do staff get rewarded for productivity? Encourage: Can you create a culture of reporting workplace “niggles” before they become claims? Educate: Who are your front line managers? What do they know about workplace health? Ageing workforces? Stress markers?

Think BIg What are our biggest challenges in Workplace Health, Safety and Injury Management for the next 5 years? There is more to what’s going on then LTIFR. Is the workplace culture ready to embrace change?

Don’t be Big Examine your own core values and strengths Revisit the organisations core values Focus on developing quality relationships and open communication Respect every individual Serve your Bottom line by serving your employees. Balance agendas

Considering the Cost Model-what does it mean to you? Where is the company spending money each year? How do I pitch a cost benefit model for injury prevention and EAP’s to the CFO? What if I try managing comp and non-comp injuries uniformly What is out there in the marketplace that I can implement that empowers employees What am I leaving behind?

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Assessing Injuries before they happen Reduced lost time/ less absenteeism Employee trust - help is available when you need it Reduced number of claims Reduce claims cost Injury/illness/difficulties managed outside of, and beyond, workers’ compensation system RTW services are shorter in duration with far greater success Immediate supervisor’s skills in managing workplace difficulties are enhanced by coaching, professional backup and development of systems

Assessing Psychological Stress markers to reduce claims. Vocational discontent expressed by the individual prior to making a claim Pre-existing personality styles makes certain types vulnerable to ordinary workplace stressors. Highly personalised and sensitive reaction, high level of emotionality, perfectionist traits, paranoid and distrustful thinking styles, high level of self focus (viewing oneself in a highly positive manner) Not necessarily problematic at work but a poor match between personality type and culture of the organisation In a recent study of 400 claims, 70 percent were deemed legitimately caused by work related factors. In- Psych Journal June Avg cost of Psych claim was $27,798 (21 wks) Avg cost of physical claim was $ (8 wks) Average age of claimants in study was 41-45, followed by 50 yrs and older. Vulnerability in age group over 40 due to: vocational discontent, distress as a result of burnout associated with organisational change. Difficulty with upsurge of younger managers and older workers

Introducing EAP Ensure immediate supervisors and senior management are on board and understand the approach Approach should be: Collaborative (involve your safety committee) ; inclusive; anonymous (if need be); well planned and involve third party health professionals to reduce suspicion associated with the introduction of any health related phenomenon.

EAP Recent case histories – Government Department – Workplace conflict-history of “behind the scenes interventions”. – Fruit Provedore – Verbal aggression causing stress to worker-claim threatened – Transport company-death witnessed by driver-visit to doctor spawned a 2 week unfit certificate

Consultative approach works best: Empower the individual by educating them about their own capacity to manage their issues-change the onus of responsibility Explore utilisation of health professionals who have experience with identifying pre-claim issues Encourage immediate supervisors to skill up by participating in training Enable staff to interact actively with any health and prevention measures implemented Encouraging workplace culture reform through EAP’s