I was fortunate to attend a virtual Work Comp College event this week. The College was founded in 2022 with the goal of developing and deploying educational programming for workers' compensation professionals. My perception was initially that it was intended for claims and risk management professionals, but the event this week was attended by a broader spectrum of community roles: risk management, medical care, regulators, and more.
The Web gathering included some discussion of the College itself but rapidly evolved into a discussion focused upon the challenges of recruiting and retaining talent in this community. One participant noted a perception that workers' compensation long ago began struggling with recruiting new talent. The conclusion voiced was that instead community members essentially elected to recruit talent from each other, labeled "stealing" team members from other entities. The urgency of recruiting today, according to that commenter, results from retirements and departures leaving too little talent left to go around.
There was a discussion of the way in which the world perceives workers' compensation. One reiterated that most, or perhaps all, of us "fell into" workers' compensation. That refrain is not new, and frankly has some truth to it. I have yet to meet anyone that grew up dreaming of being in this industry. A conversation was recounted of a young professional questioned whether he/she would follow a parent's path and join this workers' compensation community. The young person's response was rapid, negative, and certain. No.
This turned the discussion to thoughts on the absence of workers' compensation exposure and focus in higher education. Some echoed their perception that ongoing education opportunities also seemed elusive, particularly as to the theory of these systems and both the operations and implications. The conversation returned to how workers' compensation is perceived, and the young person mentioned above. It was suggested that there is a belief that this community is about shuffling papers, filling in forms, and juggling priorities. There is some truth to that. But, the suggestion was that instead, the community should stress that it is "restoring broken and shattered lives."
As the focus turned back to higher and ongoing education, there was suggestion that perhaps the best place to recruit talent is from the coffee shop or other service-sector jobs. The implication being that personal skills are important. There is no doubt that people skills matter.
One commenter suggested that the solution to replacing team members in this community would be to simply waive or eliminate education and licensing requirements. She suggested that such education parameters are discriminatory and preclude entry (lockout) of a population of potential staff and support. While there is some truth to the fact that qualifications may preclude some prospects, there are also good reasons for skills, training, and education. The idea of eliminating all standards and licensing seemed a radical approach. It seems to denigrate those who have striven to achieve licenses and qualifications. To some, it may have even been insulting. However, it did stimulate conversation.
There was an opportunity in this event for professionals to comment regarding their challenges with ongoing education in this community. They voiced that they are benefited from opportunities to learn new things, particularly skills or knowledge that are related to their profession but not necessarily within their personal role. There is some perception that we are gathered in siloes or categories and need to understand our neighbors better. The theme of this discussion was the benefit of medical professionals having exposure to claims challenges, or vice-versa.
There is a perception voiced that exposure to and understanding of the roles of other community members could build better interaction and a more persistent focus on the overarching goals (recovery and remediation). Others noted that such exposures may also be likely to remind us of knowledge that has simply become buried or obscured in the volumes of experience and knowledge that accretes over long careers in the community. Essentially, too long in our own specialty or focus may cloud our recollection of the challenges others face.
There was further discussion of roles, interrelationships, and challenges. There is recognition that claims professionals, regulators, administrators, and more are perhaps challenged at this time by the lack of interaction and intermingling that the pandemic drove. This opportunity to gather virtually with a diverse group and share perspectives was perhaps as critical in that vein, simple community and conversation. There was illustration here that workers' compensation is a fabric that involves a great many strands. Some might criticize and label it instead a "patchwork." That may be troubling, but perhaps accurate.
The conversation turned to a foundational theme of recent focus. Bob Wilson (one of the College founders) has been focusing on the term "worker recovery" for about a decade. The idea is to re-work or reconsider how people perceive this endeavor in which we all toil. The fundamental purposes of these systems are focused on the remediation of bodily injury, restoration of function, palliation of symptoms, and return to work. These are each admirable and appropriate goals.
There are those who see the "compensation" in its name as the antithesis of these goals. They find the "compensation" label of these various and varied state social safety nets as focusing attention on the monetary, and distracting from the remediation, restoration, and rehabilitation. Thus, they advocate us talking instead about worker recovery. And, in that theme, perhaps the name will evolve one day to Worker Recovery College?
The next opportunity for a free gathering for a conversation like that will be in April. However, the subject of worker recovery and more specifically the concept of "claims advocacy" will be the topic of the second edition of The Point webinar. This is a quarterly offering in which we strive to drill down through perceptions and vocabulary of workers' compensation and get to The Point. Many have heard of Advocacy Claims, and plenty speak of it. But, what is The Point?
This webinar will be an ideal opportunity to learn what goes on in a silo or category, claims, which is perhaps not your specialty. For the legal, the medical, the risk, and other professionals, this will be a valuable discussion. This will be an exposure to the challenges of the claim's professional and the contribution of that team to the remediation of injured workers. It will be an interesting discussion on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 2:00 Eastern.
The conclusion of the recent call seemed simple. We can learn through our interactions and conversations. We need not always agree, and some in the community may have some significantly radical ideas and beliefs. Despite our differences in background, worldview, and more, such conversations can stimulate discussion, interaction, and analysis. The opportunities, at a minimum, can help us understand better why various ideas and beliefs do or do not appeal to us personally.
