How many news segments, articles, and opinion pieces have you seen over the last year about the future of technology and the benefits it will bring to industries of all kinds? My guess is – far too many to count. Topics such as generative AI and smart technology flood our inboxes and social feeds these days.
Technology is evolving faster than ever – and the pace isn’t slowing down any time soon. Across workers’ compensation, we are moving quickly to ensure we keep up with – and stay ahead of – the latest technology trends. Why? Because we want to remain relevant and valuable to the key stakeholders we serve – customers, providers, vendor partners, and of course, injured workers.
While sweeping technological transformations are just the latest, this is not the first time we’ve seen great change in this industry. The pandemic, for example, forced us all to become more efficient, more streamlined, and more relevant to survive in the new world of work.
But, over my 15-year career in workers’ compensation, there is one thing that hasn’t changed, and should never change – the crucial role empathy plays in successful outcomes.
While it’s important to care for injured workers, empathy takes things one step further. Caring is about showing concern, kindness, and support toward an injured worker. Empathy, on the other hand, is about understanding and sharing their feelings. This distinction is critical because empathy enables us to put ourselves in the shoes of an injured worker – to truly understand and appreciate what they’re going through.
You can have all the latest and greatest technology available, but if your team doesn’t lead with empathy, you will never be able to provide injured workers with the best support possible.
This is especially true for people who have direct contact with injured workers – namely, those who serve in customer service roles. As your frontline, these team members often have the most opportunity to help injured workers feel safe, supported, and seen. While trying to navigate an emotionally-charged period of their life, injured workers – like all of us – crave empathetic human interactions, and that is something even the smartest technology cannot provide.
To drive home this point, I encourage you to watch the short success story of injured worker Derek Derum. At just 21, Derek’s life changed in an instant after a workplace injury resulted in paraplegia. An avid athlete, outdoor enthusiast, and adventure seeker pre-injury, Derek was both physically and mentally shattered post-injury. In a dark place and not knowing what to do with his life, his journey included stages of grief and despair until he eventually turned the corner and found hope, resilience, and peace.
Luckily for Derek, he had great, empathic partners on his side from the start, including his parents, his nurse case manager, and customer service representative “Patty.” A key player throughout his journey from pre- to post-settlement, Patty helped Derek through the hardest chapter of his life by doing what she would want someone to do for her – understand and support him every step of the way. Knowing he had someone on his side made all the difference in Derek’s journey and the success he has found in life today.
No matter what role your company plays in the workers’ compensation industry, make empathy a key element of your business model. By truly understanding what an injured worker is going through, team members will realize they are performing more than just a job. They are playing a vital role in an injured worker’s journey. Empathy enables us to better serve injured workers, but it also provides us with more fulfilling careers and purpose-driven companies.
So, what is the most important element of workers’ compensation claims management today? For me, the answer remains the same as it was 15 years ago. Empathy for the win – every time.
