| | November 2021MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM8In MyOpinionTechnology has become increasingly intertwined in our everyday lives throughout the last decade, and employers are overwhelmingly caught up in these trends amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. This year's lockdown forced the majority of large and small businesses alike to transition to a fully remote work environment in a matter of weeks, a task many were not equipped to handle at the time. Originally intended as a temporary solution, this remote workforce has quickly become a new way of life for many, and it is unlikely to go away anytime soon. While the remote work environment has some drawbacks, it has emphasized the benefits of utilizing technology in the workplace. These benefits are touching every department in the company, even reaching workers' compensation operations and positively impacting HR professionals. Technology is a progressivelyessential component in educating the workforce, providing better job safety, and facilitating efficient claim filing and completion ­ all of which work together to increase productivity. As a picture is worth a thousand words, an example says it best.Prior to what we now know as telemedicine, occupational clinics needed to be on site in order for the patient to be treated immediately. Thus, telemedicine is one new development that plays an integral role in streamlining the claims process. This is a phenomenal benefit for both employers and employees, but it can be a large expense for organizations. With telemedicine available, employers no longer have to take on this extra expense, and patients are still able to receive care almost without delay. Through telemedicine, nurses have the ability to speak with clients virtually, answering any questions they may have and making assessments based on their injuries. Technology can even assist with training purposes as well. Gadgets, like wearable tech, can help ensure employees are taking care of themselves and maintaining a work-life balance. For instance, if an employee has a job that is more labor intensive, wearable technology can assist with managing health by tracking different variables such as temperature, which could prevent something like heat exhaustion from occurring. This can be especially important as companies work to maintain social distancing standards in the workplace and are unable to monitor as closely as they once did. Further, knowing these important details, allows the employer to proactively mitigate risk and share relevant resources with employees. For example, if the wearables show employees are continuously over-exerting themselves, the employer can share a short video that reviews best practices for health and safety while on the job. Fortunately, wearables aren't HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP TO OPTIMIZE YOUR WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS PROCESSBy Rori E. Smith, Senior Workers' Compensation Specialist - CBIZ Property Casualty ­ Western Region
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