You’ve probably heard stories of people getting injured on the job or taking disability leave. Their tales are a reminder of what can happen at a work site. Despite preventative measures, there is always a chance of risk. Losing an employee, especially a star-champion among your team, can have an impact on your business.

Projects can be stalled. Costs to replace the individual can consume time and exhaust resources. Morale can also take a hit, further dropping employee productivity. So, even if your business takes cautionary measures to ensure employee safety, it’s important to have a strategy to support both your employees and your business. In this instance, a Return to Work (RTW) program.

A RTW program is a plan developed to allow workers, who are unable to carry out their job responsibilities due to injury or illness, to come back to work in a temporary, limited, or reduced capacity. Companies make modifications to the individual’s job duties or can place them within alternate positions, so they can continue to work. It can also be full-time or part-time work.

Here are several reasons why a RTW program can be beneficial for your company:

It Reduces the Financial Impact of Workplace Injuries & Illness

Disability claims can be expensive. The longer an injured (or ill) employee is out of work, the less likely they are to return to work. Typically, staff members who miss work for six months or more are 50% less likely to return to their workplace for further employment. That percentage drops to 10% for those who have been out of work for more than a year. The result is an employee who is drawing on their disability pay rate. As they continue to do so, it can add thousands of dollars to the cost of the claim, which could translate to higher premiums for your business regarding employee disability insurance.

It Cuts Time and Money Spent on Hiring Replacements

Companies do not benefit from losing their all-star workers. There’s a similar adage for companies who are customer-focused: For every client lost, it costs three times as much to get a new one. The same applies to your employee base.

Good workers, who understand the business and tasks involved, are not easily replaced. You have to account for time training and onboarding the employee. Not to mention you lose the familiarity the employee has with your company and other staff members. All this time hiring a replacement costs money to your business.

It Can Boost Company Morale and Trust

RTW programs help employees feel valued and it builds trust with your employees. It shows them you’ll do everything you can to help them continue employment and retain their livelihood. As a result, RTW programs can help reduce claim litigation and fraudulent claims.

RTW also helps maintain an experienced workforce, since employees will have a higher loyalty with your business. Better employer-to-employee relationships lead to better productivity and performance levels.