Promoting Employee Wellness: A Key to Ensuring Health and Safety in the Workplace
Employee wellness has been gaining more and more traction over the past few years, especially since the pandemic. It has become a focal point for all businesses, and for good reason. A healthy and happy workforce not only enhances job satisfaction but also plays a crucial role in ensuring health and safety in the workplace. By promoting employee wellness, companies can create a positive work environment, reduce accidents, boost productivity, and ultimately, drive success. With the rise in popularity of the remote office, the crossover between an employee’s work life and home life is even more intertwined. How they are coping and managing at home impacts how they are coping and managing at work and vice versa. Providing a healthy workplace culture can be a supportive reinforcement of a worker’s overall wellness or an incentive to take what is initiated in the workplace and incorporate it into their home life. […]
Maximizing Returns: The Power of Well-Designed Return-to-Work Programs
In terms of human resources and workplace management, the value of a well-designed return-to-work program cannot be overstated. Beyond the immediate benefits of aiding workers with their transition back to their duties, these supportive and inclusive programs send a clear message that resonates throughout the entire organization that their employer cares. A thoughtfully crafted return-to-work program can not only promote employee well-being but also yield substantial financial advantages, including the reduction of Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) claim costs and premiums. It is widely acknowledged that, in most cases, the shorter the time an injured or ill worker is away from the workplace the less time it will take them to return to their full duties on a full-time basis and return-to-work programs are fundamental in making this happen. The shorter the time loss, the shorter the recovery, the lower the claim costs and the lower the impact on WCB premiums […]
Understanding Risk Assessment and its Impact on Reducing WCB Premiums
What is Risk Assessment? Risk assessment is a vital process that helps businesses identify, evaluate, and manage potential hazards and risks within their operations. It involves a systematic examination of the workplace, tasks, and processes to determine potential sources of accidents or injuries to employees. By taking a proactive approach to safety, companies can create a safer work environment and improve employee well-being. In turn, these two factors alone, can help reduce the frequency and severity of work-related claims, ultimately resulting in lower Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) premiums. How does the Risk Assessment process work? Identifying Hazards: The first step is to recognize potential hazards in the workplace, which may range from physical factors (such as slippery floors or faulty machinery) to environmental issues (like exposure to harmful substances). Assessing Risk: After identifying the hazards, the next step is to assess the level of risk associated with each hazard. This […]
Today There Will Be Three…
April 28th marks the National Day of Mourning in Canada. A day to remember and honor workers who have lost their lives or suffered injuries on the job. This day is an important reminder of the ongoing need to prioritize workplace safety and prevent future tragedies. According to the latest statistics from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), in 2020, there were 925 workplace fatalities in Canada, which is a slight decrease from the 1,027 reported in 2019. However, this still represents almost 3 lives every day of the year, which is significant and highlights the need for continued efforts to improve workplace safety. In Alberta, the numbers are also concerning. According to the latest data from the Government of Alberta, there were 144 workplace fatalities in the province in 2020, up from 125 in 2019. This represents a 15% increase and underscores the need for more […]
Tick Tock – Time’s Running Out!
Starting to feel a little stressed? The deadline is looming! Every year, across Canada, employers are required to report their payroll earnings to their respective provincial or territorial workers’ compensation board (WCB). The WCB then uses the reported amounts to establish the premium assessment for each employer. Workers’ compensation boards are funded by employer contributions, or premiums, that are based on the level of risk associated with their particular industry. Typically, premiums are reflected as a specified dollar amount per $100 of payroll and are calculated based on maximum assessable earnings or the maximum annual earnings on which workers’ compensation premiums can be based. Sounds complicated? You bet! Establishing premiums is a complex, multifactorial process and assessable earnings are only one of many variables that are used in the calculations. Determining what part of payroll earnings are assessable and exactly what needs to be reported can be equally complicated, especially […]