Case Study

Client

Nortel Networks

Goal

Return people back to a safe work environment sooner plus save money on injury claims and lower absenteeism.

Background

Nortel was a Canadian multinational telecommunications company with over 94,000 employees worldwide. Nortel greatly valued its employees and wanted to keep them healthy, happy and successful at their job.
 
Painful back injuries significantly lower quality of life at work and at home. They can be debilitating, preventing you from sleeping, sitting comfortably, being productive at work and enjoying time with family. 

The Challenge

With back injuries costing over $80,000 on average, Nortel needed to reduce the risk of injuries among its employees.
 
Computer programmers are required to sit at their desks for hours each day and this was causing severe pain to the employee and often delayed projects because of absenteeism and/or injury leave.
 
Practical approaches initiated by the company (physiotherapy and ergonomic chairs) were not enough to get the employee safely back to work in an efficient timeframe. 
 
If these injuries became a term disability case, not only would a valued, high-performing employee be lost, the costs of workers' compensation, hiring and training a replacement could run over $100,000.

The Solution

ErgoPrime experts conducted an ergonomic assessment with the employee to understand their challenges, pinpoint pain-causing problems and develop a cost-effective solution for their exact situation so they could feel well and safely perform at a high level.

Our Approach

With the one-on-one assessment, we were able to implement changes in the workstation setup and recommend the right equipment to reduce pain and improve effectiveness. Our solution for a saddle chair and sit-stand station helped this individual eliminate his unique sitting pain, get back on the job and focus on his work.
 
Working with the company’s facilities management team, we ensured making changes to create a healthier workspace were simple and straightforward, with an easy-to-understand report including the appropriate products and where to buy them. Our injury prevention expert provided employees with one-on-one coaching so they could do their job safely and overcome the fear of re-injury.
 
We also followed up to make sure the individual was progressing and to help overcome any new issues that the employee faces so they stay on the job with better health outcomes.

The Results

Employer Results

• Over $50,000 saved on injury costs – a great return on investment for the $1,000 spent on the ergonomic solution
• The employee was back on the job 37 days sooner than anticipated
• The work project got back on track quickly
• Improved workplace culture
• Greater employee retention

Employee Results

• Back to enjoying family life sooner
• Successful at his job again
• Improved morale and sense of self-worth
• Boosted employee satisfaction
• Better mental health
• Greater sense of overall well-being

When employers work with us, they achieve improved, sustainable health outcomes. Without pain, employees can focus on being successful at their job. After all, healthy employees do amazing things.
 
Contact us today to find out how we can keep your employees healthy & productive.