Solutions through centralization and simplicity
In 2012, with over 100,000 workers across 23 states, Comcast sought to improve its Workers’ Compensation (WC) program. To achieve this, the company called upon a team from Greencastle Consulting to rollout a new WC administration that was simple, efficient and centralized.
For the project to be a success, basic process components to be improved had to be identified before key metrics and reports could be developed. With seemingly too-long durations of leave, a lack of a centralized management system, and high claim expenses related to ineffective management, there were apparent inconsistencies between partner organizations within Comcast.
Previously, many of the WC clerical difficulties fell upon the field, i.e. human resources and safety departments. Greencastle labeled this as a misallocation of manpower and designed a centralized hub to handle claims after receiving basic information directly from hands-on administrators, subsequently moving the weight of these responsibilities from those who were already fully tasked with active employees. This centralized WC Unit reduced clerical stress on specialized sectors and relied upon a sensible division of talent and labor.
A second important definition of success for the Greencastle team was to establish a process to increase the program’s efficiency and reduce lost time without negatively affecting employee satisfaction. To do this, a series of support tools were integrated into the pre-launch project design: simplified WC request forms, a streamlined request processing structure, and a transparent method of connecting employees with financial and medical resources.
Greencastle developed personalized metrics and reporting processes to monitor the pre-launch testing and rollout, and to ensure a successful monitoring of the results afterward. An external approach had to be undertaken as well: communication with insurance, third-party clerical, and governmental organizations was often a large waste of time and resources. Making sure that the rollout was a national success, not only within Comcast itself, but as Comcast related to these external organizations, was as critical to the success as the reduction of internal strain.
The success of this approach and implementation of changes resulted in reduced durations of occupational leave as well as per capita claim expenses. The idea that providing employees with more occupational leave resources would result in short leave times was correctly demonstrated, and Comcast found itself at an all-time low of WC loss.