Work Assist is a government-funded service to help you keep your employees if they become injured, ill or disabled.
The aim of the service is to enable more employers to adapt to the changing needs of their workers and support employees when their circumstances change dramatically.
APM provides Work Assist services to employers across Australia.
Here’s a breakdown of how it can benefit your business.
1. Keep your valuable employees
You can get support, services and/or equipment to mitigate the impact of an employee’s injury, illness or disability on their ability to remain part of your workforce.
For example, if an employee has a degenerative back condition and is no longer coping with their role, you can get help with workplace modifications and support to ensure they are still able to do their job.
2. Maintain a productive workforce
An employee’s injury, illness or disability may impact on their absenteeism, presenteeism or efficiency and productivity. Work Assist can help reduce or eliminate the impact on these.
3. Reduce employee turnover
This can be a significant cost to business, with recruitment, training, lost productivity and lost knowledge contributing significantly to the bottom line. Work Assist helps retain your best employees despite an injury, illness or disability.
4. Did we mention it was free?
Work Assist is federally funded, meaning there is zero cost to you as the employer. Many employers want to help support their employees but may not have the budget. Work Assist prevents this from being a barrier.
5. Positive culture and loyalty
Supporting your employees via Work Assist has a significant positive impact on company culture and fosters positive reciprocity. Employees appreciate the assistance, speak positively of the workplace and return in kind with loyalty and commitment to company values.
6. Support your employees fairly
With specific eligibility requirements linked to the funding available, any questions or similar requests from other employees are able to be dealt with via the Work Assist framework.
For example, one employee received support and equipment provisions via Work Assist to help maintain their employment subsequent to a degenerative vision impairment.
A colleague without the impairment also felt they should have the same equipment, but by using Work Assist the employer was able to avoid the cost of unnecessarily providing the tools to their workforce because eligibility and funding was determined externally.
7. Reduce workers’ compensation claims and premiums
If a re-aggravation of a pre-existing condition occurs and work is determined as a contributing factor, you as an employer can be subject to a workers’ compensation claim.
Using Work Assist can prevent a non-work related issue becoming a workers’ compensation claim.
8. Reputation and industry leadership
Using this service demonstrates your commitment to supporting your employees and is often recognised via media coverage or industry safety awards.
9. Retain your mature workforce
The aging workforce is a prominent topic, and many employers are looking at ways to support and retain their older employees.
Work Assist is able to assist with the impacts of many age-related injuries, illnesses and disabilities that are associated with an aging workforce.
10. Tailored to individuals and to scale
APM provides allied health intervention and knowledge via Work Assist that is tailored to an individual, but also can often be transferred to all employees and whole of business, ensuring benefits far beyond the individual at hand.
Speak to us today about how Work Assist can help you grow your business and support your workforce.