Impact of a disability management program on employee productivity in a petrochemical company
Christopher M Skisak1, Faiyaz Bhojani, Shan P Tsai
1Shell Health Services Department, Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas 77252-2463, USA.
Background:
An inhouse disability management program was implemented to reduce nonoccupational absences in a petrochemical corporation. The program was administered by full-time certified, corporate-based case managers and nine manufacturing location nurses.
Methods:
Employees were required to report all absences on the first day and again on the fourth workday of absence. A medical certification form was required for absences of 4 or more working days. Extended absences were actively managed. An Internet-based case management tool, Medgate, was used as a primary management tool.
Results:
Results were compared with the previous year among the target population and with company business units not participating in the program. The program resulted in a 10% reduction in total absence days per employee (6.9 to 6.2) compared with the previous year, whereas business units not using the program had an 8% increase (5.5 to 5.9). This disability management program resulted in a more than four to one return on investment based on direct expenditures and cost savings in terms of reduced absence days.
Conclusions:
The inhouse disability management program was successful by absence duration, employee satisfaction, and return on investment criteria.
