Keeping employees safe from distractions with cognitive pre-testing

This article was created in partnership with AmTrust Financial Services.

Desmond Devoy, of Insurance Business America, sat down with Jeff Corder, vice president of loss control at AmTrust Financial Services, to discuss emerging trends in identifying work impairment, before workers punch the clock.

There is more to dysfunction at work than drugs and drinking.

“We’ve always recognized degradation as an issue,” said Jeff Corder (pictured).

And while employees showing up drunk or stoned is a serious issue, misconduct can come in many forms.

“It’s the stress,” said Corder, the vice president of loss control, in AmTrust Financial Service’s loss control department. He gave an example of a worker who appeared to be working in an agitated state, having recently had an argument with their spouse.

“They will be distracted,” he said. Just as some companies conduct drug tests on employees before they start their shift, some companies now have the “ability to evaluate your cognitive ability using a non-invasive try,” he said. The test can be as simple as an employee looking at photos on a tablet or an employee having a “wearable” that can track their physical condition while at work.

Tablet-based tests create a baseline of information that can indicate when the employee is significantly deviating from their normal range. A manager can look at the tall numbers and call out: “OK now, something’s wrong here.”

More than drugs, alcohol plays a role in distractions

He has seen, in his own line of work, where a variety of factors, beyond alcohol and drugs, play into disruptive claims.

“I’ve seen claims where someone was distracted,” he said. “We found out that his wife left him on the weekend, or his son was kicked out of school.”

With these external forces in a worker’s personal life affecting their work life, Corder emphasized that it’s important to know that “we’re not playing games with anyone. We’re here to help you.”

And the cure for this can be simple. Instead of sending a worker home, or facing reprimand, they can be reassigned to another department for a day, such as working in the parts department instead of driving a forklift.

“And you’re still getting paid, you can save face,” he said. “You can help them get help.”

For an employee who appears stoned or high, referring them to substance abuse counseling, provided through an employee assistance program, is a great way to protect both the worker and the employer. Counseling and social worker connections are also helpful.

Another issue Corder is concerned about is overtime.

“People are volunteering to do overtime,” he said. “But if it’s seven days in a row without a break, you’ll definitely be spoiled.”

The company can work with the employee. They may not be able to work a full shift, but may be allowed to work for four hours.

Employment statistics focus on impairment problems

He pointed to statistics from the National Safety Council, which came out before the pandemic, which found that 90% of employers surveyed were concerned about workplace disruptions and their effects on safety. An additional 67% of people with some type of substance abuse problem work in a workplace. Add to this that 20% of American workers suffer from some form of mental illness, and 43% of employees lack sleep.

Buy-in from employees builds trust that can be beneficial for both them and their employer.

“You need to start talking about it and sell it to your employees, like this is an added benefit to help you. We’re just trying to keep you safe. We want you to go home at night because you’re a valuable employee, “he said. “There are legal aspects that you have to write in the company’s procedures manual. You should talk to the appropriate parties, such as unions, human resources, or legal counsel. You must follow legality or HR rules. It’s like any other safety program.”

He predicts this form of testing will become more mainstream. During the pandemic, remote COVID screening questionnaires, which must be completed online or via your personal device before starting a work shift, have become more common. The test can also be done throughout the day.

“Wearables” can also send a warning to managers about how an employee may be at risk of recurring mobility problems. A wearable can show the manager that an employee is “not bending their right leg enough,” while working, which can help prevent an injury weeks or months down the line. And simple solutions can be found for some workplace problems, such as a desk that is not high enough and can cause injury.

“We raised the table two inches and, suddenly, the problem disappeared and prevented a $100,000 claim thanks to a $10 repair,” he said. “We are trying to keep you safe. But we will not send you away. This is what the boss will say.”

An ounce of restraint can prevent a claim

By having real-time, objective, and private monitoring, “you prevent something” before it becomes an issue, he said. He called it a good return on investment: “If we do something to prevent a big claim, those tests will pay for it 10 times.” And above all, the cost of the test, “is not very expensive. And I think many road insurance companies will look at any way to subsidize the test.”

He points out that most of these testing systems have been tested, or tested by third parties, and that universities are also conducting research on these matters.

“My feeling is that’s going to be the wave of the future,” he said. Now a long way from the old days of urine and blood tests, he likes what he sees being tested in workplaces across the country.

“It seems to be working. It’s something different,” he said.