The Dysfunctional Work Force

Last time we reviewed the concept of the dysfunctional work force and how the doctor unknowingly or knowingly contributes to the severity or creation of that dysfunction.

The dysfunctional work force is composed of two basic groups: those workers who immediately let management know of an injury or condition afflicting them, and the silent workers that say nothing until the injury become to acute too ignore.

The statistics that I have compiled in working with over 30 separate companies on an ongoing basis in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, show that at least four of 10 people are predisposed to cumulative trauma. The predictive factor for the specific facilities is well over 86 percent success rate. For example, one facility that screened over a two year period in excess of 100 people showed that there were only four very minor incidents and only four people out of the entire group that had any complaints. The cost for these incidents was negligible.

Typically, as a work force becomes more dysfunctional, we see several characteristic features begin to surface and progress in severity:

1. A decline in employee morale begins on an individual basis and spreads to a general attitude among workers until even new employees or temporaries are affected.

    

2. An increase in light duty begins with a selected few that prohibit them from performing the essential job function. This restriction becomes more widespread and some workers are out on total work leaves. These work restrictions become long-term restrictions that alter the rotation sequence drastically.

    

3. Increased absenteeism becomes evident in large numbers and production is forced to use temporary help, however the bulk of the responsibility lies on the "silent" portion of the work force.

    

4. The loss of production consistency and the quality associated with the assembly line begins to be a noticeable factor for management.

    

5. As this cycle progresses, the company begins to lose a competitive edge in delivering its product.

Although there are numerous other factors that contribute to the dysfunctional work force, these are immediate and foundational characteristics that will be present and easily detectable. The result is a work force hindered from performing duties and a loss of productivity. As production finds it harder and harder to meet demands, a temporary service is usually called in to increase staffing. This, in fact, is not a solution, but adds to and further complicates the dysfunctional state of the work force, which by this time is causing management to become dysfunctional as well. Let's look at what is taking place at this stage of the cycle.

Because companies shy away form hiring more people and incurring the associated costs of providing health benefits, and the costs of layoffs of new hires when demand for product declines or cycles, the typical work force of today's economy is being worked harder. Companies find it more cost effective for employees to work overtime. Understand that this is overtime of six to seven days a week sometimes, that lasts for months on end. At first, the additional money is welcome; however, this brutal schedule eventually takes its toll. By using this strategy, additional health care benefits, etc., are saved, but how does this affect the three basic factors that cause the explosion in workers' compensation claims?

1. Management/employee relationships begin to falter as employees are taken to the breaking point. This also intensifies the stress on the management team.

    

2. The physical demand of the job task is obviously increased and the available recovery time has been significantly decreased.

    

3. Medical intervention is typically a response to complaints after the fact and is usually accompanied with work restrictions.

Earlier I mentioned the two parts of the dysfunctional work force: the vocal and silent groups. The vocal individuals are the ones who initially complain and may even know how to manipulate the system. These are the individuals who begin the light duty cycle that so disrupts the work force. The silent worker, the one who production depends on to get the product out, are the folks who do the work regardless whether they hurt or not. These people are the single moms that have two little ones and try to make ends meet ever since dad took off. They cannot afford to lose their job because there is no other income. These people will work until they physically and emotionally cannot work any more, and it is at this point that they reluctantly come forward, but usually the disorder has progressed to a point that may be quite serious. These people, by the way, resent those other workers that stay on light duty because they are hurting. They are hurting just as much but have been working all along and actually are doing the work for all those who are on restrictions.

Temporary people brought in enter a negative atmosphere that is conducive to all those things that began the cycle in the first place, so that they enter the dysfunctional phase much quicker, and this process continues to accelerate as the dysfunction continues. The silent work force still shoulders the bulk of the work as the temporary workers do not know how to perform on the assembly very well. Remember, if these people are not screened, four out of 10 will be predisposed to CTD from the beginning. As a side note, screening and precluding temporary employees from employment is not recommended if they have already been working for a period of time.

Remember what you are dealing with when devising treatment plans and realize that your treatment is very likely being neutralized by the pressures from the dysfunctional work force. Try to work with your contact person at the company for the best possible course of action for the overall best course to insure the emotional and physical result of the injured worker.

Theodore Oslay, DC
Oregon, Illinois