Why Empathy Matters in Workers' Compensation

When someone gets hurt on the job, their recovery isn’t just about physical healing; it’s also about navigating a system that can feel confusing and impersonal.

As workers’ compensation providers for more than 100 years, AF Group’s subsidiary brands (Accident Fund, CompWest, Third Coast Underwriters and United Heartland), have found that showing empathy during the process can make a huge difference.

Empathy: Isn’t just a nice gesture, it’s a strategy

Workers’ compensation isn’t like standard health insurance. When needed, it can feel isolating for the injured worker, especially if they’ve never dealt with it before. That’s why employers that connect with their injured employee early on and with empathy can make a difference in the recovery process.

Even simple steps —like checking in, reassuring the employee their job is safe, or offering light-duty work—can go a long way.

It’s about treating people like people, not a claim number.

As one AF Group leader said, “Treat injured workers how you’d want your family member treated.”

That mindset helps build trust and can speed up recovery. By utilizing feedback obtained through post-claim surveys, our team consistently looks for ways to improve how we support injured workers. The goal is ensuring that employees feel respected, heard, and supported throughout the entirety of their recovery.

Transparency: Building trust from day one

Prompt claim reporting gives us the chance to build what we call “trust equity.” Clear communication and early trust helps set a positive tone for the injured worker, which can reduce unnecessary legal involvement, result in fewer missed days, and ultimately lead to faster recoveries.   

Tools that help make it happen

Multiple resources and programs are available to help companies communicate and support injured employees. Here are a few options AF Group has found particularly beneficial:

• Claims Texting: In addition to standard communication vehicles, AF Group’s texting solution allows injured workers to communicate in more than 20 languages, in real time, which improves efficiency and customer service.
• TeleCompCare®: This service provides injured workers 24/7 access to triage nurses who can offer assessments, refer injured employees for medical care when appropriate, and provide an option to connect with an occupational physician via live video conference.
• Nurse Case Managers: In-house nurses play a key role in making sure injured workers feel supported. With an empathetic approach, they’re able to explain treatment plans and coordinate care, especially in complex cases. Their high-touch approach helps bridge the gap between clinical care and emotional support.
• Return-to-Work Programs: Getting people back to work as quickly and safely as possible, which could entail modified duties, can decrease recovery time for the injured worker and lower costs for the employer.

What employers can do to foster empathy

• Prompt claim reporting: Report claims quickly to expedite the process.
• Stay in touch: Reach out to the injured worker as soon as possible and keep the lines of communication open.
• Reassure job security: Let employees know they’re valued.
• Offer modified duties: Help them ease back into work.
• Train supervisors: Make sure frontline managers know how to respond with empathy.
• Ask for feedback: Learn from the injured worker’s experience to improve the process.

If you’re ready to strengthen your workers’ compensation and return-to-work strategies, connect with a property & casualty advisor at The Miller Group today. They’ll help you explore ideas and introduce you to the experts at AF Group, taking your program to the next level.