Avoiding Psychologically-Related Disability Claims
Once, disability claims were made almost exclusively when
workers suffered a physical injury - a fall, car accident or
heavy-lifting ailment. The injury was tangible and usually,
easily treatable. It was easy to determine when the
employee was able to return to work.
But nowadays, long-term disability claims are often made for
psychological problems - those that are not necessarily
visible, but just as painful, and having as great an impact on
the ability to work, as physical injuries.
In an age of chronically long hours, excessive overtime,
downsizing, toxic workplace relationships and other
workplace elements harmful to the psyche, the result is that
a disability claim is acquiring a whole new look.
The claim might now go like this: a worker visits the family
doctor, complaining of feeling stressed. Medication might be
prescribed, but it doesn't help and he gets some counselling
through the employee assistance program.
So he takes sick days or holidays. Still feeling stressed, he
goes on employment insurance, which quickly runs out. He
visits the family doctor and goes on short-term disability for
several months.
That, too, is ineffective, so he applies for and receives long-
term disability.
Disability refers to "a determination that a person is unable to
fulfill their social or occupational role because they are
impaired by a psychological disorder", says Dr. Merv Gilbert,
a registered psychologist and principal at Gilbert Acton
LePage, a Calgary-and Vancouver-based occupational
health consultancy.
And as psychological claims are thrown into the mix, the cost
to companies - and individual workers - is increasing.
"There is the cost of lost productivity and lower morale as
other workers fill in for the absent worker, increased
prescription drug costs, increases in turnover and insurance
renewal rates", said Darrell Ert, president of Vancouver-
based Employee Strategies, a division of Executive
Strategies specializing in corporate life, disability insurance,
and group benefits.
The most common mental-health disorder associated with
disability is depression, said Gilbert, who noted depression
costs Canadian business $25 billion a year in disability
payments, absenteeism, and depression-related accidents
and injuries.
Employees suffer too. The symptoms of psychological
distress that prompted the claim, such as chronic
sleeplessness, weight gain, severe anxiety, inability to
concentrate and memory loss, are compounded by self-
doubt, guilt and worry over not being able to work.
People usually derive a sense of identity, purpose and self
esteem from their jobs. Being removed from the workplace
can take a psychological toll. Claimants can feel isolated
and become increasingly inactive as the claim wears on.
Worse still, "the longer someone is off work the greater the
probability they will not return", observed Ert.
Employees and employers can avoid the financial and
psychological costs associated with disability claims by
examining their practices.
Tips for Employers
1. Keep Your Promises
Research shows employers who engage in unfair practices
at work such as breaking promises, create among staff a
sense of being excluded, or abandoned. When people feel
tricked, diminished or humiliated they become angry,
depressed, or anxious. They feel suspicious and helpless,
which over time impedes performance.
Sometimes promises are broken when projects don't come
to fruition, funding doesn't come through or business results
are poor. Communicating with staff about bad news and
how it affects them is important. Transparent organizations
are less likely to hide poor performance or disappointing
results and are more likely to act collaboratively with staff
regarding setting appropriate expectations.
2. Hire, Nurture and Develop Competent Leaders
An important way to prevent or decrease psychologically
related disability claims, according to Gilbert, is ensuring
staff are engaged at work by supervisors and co-workers
who recognize their efforts and support them.
Toxic management practices such as bullying, a lack of
gratitude or an abrasive leadership style, can lead to an
increase in disability claims, says Ert, who urges companies
to look within and take responsibility for preventing or
decreasing these claims. "Management can sometimes
make excuses and engage in denial, but continually
improving management style and the overall psychological
health of the company by focussing on maintaining healthy
workplace relationships can reduce and prevent claims."
3. Listen to and React to the Warning Signs
High rates of sick leave, absenteeism or turnover are cited
by both Ert and Gilbert as warning signs of trouble. At the
organizational level, rises in medication and extended health
costs, or Employee Assistance Program usage may signal a
potentially toxic environment. Dr. Henry Harder, Chair of the
Disability Management Program at University of Northern
British Columbia, suggests that tracking short and long-term
disability costs may flag a harmful environment. If these
signs are occurring, managerial intervention is needed.
Increasing awareness by managers of the symptoms of
stress, depression, and anxiety is also important.
Once the alarm is raised, companies can identify the work
place stressors over which they have control and ameliorate
them. Find out the reasons for absenteeism or turnover.
This may mean doing probing exit interviews with departing
staff or asking workers about their job satisfaction.
If some or all of the reasons for the increased prescription
drug costs or incidence of short-term disability claims or
feelings of anxiety, hopelessness or helplessness are in
company control - act. This may mean dealing with a toxic
manager or employee, increasing staff control over their
workload or obtaining psychological services for a depressed
worker.
4. Prevention is Key
Companies can prevent disability claims by actively
developing their leaders. Asking subordinates and
colleagues for feedback about their leader, meeting with
managers regularly and training supervisory staff in
empathy, self-management (knowing how to choose
constructive responses to stressful situations), and conflict
resolution can help prevent disability claims from occurring.
Tips for Employees
1. Highlight Health
Decide to take charge of your health. Look closely at your
eating, exercise and sleeping habits. Take advantage of
company wellness initiatives. If you haven't the time to look
after yourself, ask why? May be you have a habit of looking
after other people first?
Take a look at how you manage your time. Do you discuss
workplace expectations with your supervisor? Do you
delegate or tend to do it all yourself? Ask yourself why you
may find it hard to talk about what you need?
2. Make A Choice
Talk to a supervisor about any changes that can be made to
the work place (e.g., discuss limiting overtime if you need to
or sharing your workload somehow) or find out about a
transfer. If this is not possible and your job is pushing you to
the limit, plan your exit. It's a lot easier to find and land a
new job while you are currently employed.
If you don't want to quit or cannot quit, remain at the job for
your own reasons. Changing your attitude about a
troublesome supervisor or "letting go" of being annoyed by a
co-worker's antics may help. Some people decide to stay
because they want to help other staff cope. Others plan to
stay for the salary with an endpoint in mind—in nine months
I'll leave for a new job. Disability may seem like the only
option but remember it has a downside. Economic hardship
and lower self-esteem can result when staff stay away from
work for a long time.
3. Identify Stressors
Take some time to look at circumstances that increase your
sense of well-being, and situations that decrease it. What
makes you content and what causes you to feel out of
control? Seriously think about ways to limit feelings of being
out of control at work and home.
4. Maintain A Social Life
If you have been letting friendships slide or you are
dissatisfied with your social life, try to change it. Some
people join a service organization while others may feel too
stressed by outside obligations and learn to limit their
involvement. Either way, be sure to keep up some
meaningful social contact.
Dr. Jennifer Newman and Dr. Darryl Grigg are registered
psychologists and directors of Newman & Grigg Psychological and
Consulting Services Ltd., a Vancouver-based corporate training and
development partnership. They can be contacted at sunmail@newmangrigg.com
Identifying information in cases cited has been changed to
protect confidentiality.