Be sure to check out the risk management technology 91黑料网 has to offer policyholder businesses at our new Risk Management Technology webpage!

Understanding the Problem Before Seeking Tech Solutions

Before diving into the realm of innovative technology, companies must first thoroughly understand the specific problem they are aiming to solve. Engaging with a novel tech solution showcased at a conference, without a clear and present need, can lead to inefficient use of both time and financial resources. This foundational understanding ensures that investments in technology are both strategic and beneficial.

Integrating Safety Technology

In the domain of workplace safety, technology should be considered only after applying the Hierarchy of Controls. This approach assesses whether a hazard can be outright eliminated or significantly mitigated through engineering changes rather than through behavioral adjustments alone. For instance, it is more effective and sustainable to automate a process or redesign a workstation to prevent strenuous physical tasks such as bending to lift heavy materials repeatedly, rather than to rely on wearable sensors that prompt workers to adjust their movements.

Overestimation of Product Adoption

Vendors often have a clear understanding of their safety technology鈥檚 capabilities; however, they may overestimate how eagerly such technology will be adopted by the workforce. Resistance to change is a common human behavior, particularly with interventions such as safety initiatives that require new habits or routines. It is crucial for management to recognize the extensive planning, management, and effort required to implement these technologies effectively. Underestimating these factors can compromise the return on investment and may even foster a perception among employees that the company is indifferent to their safety, potentially eroding the organization’s safety culture.

The Foundation of Safety Programs Before Tech Integration

Technology should not be seen as a panacea for all safety program deficiencies. A well-established safety program is a prerequisite before considering the integration of innovative safety tech solutions. Technology amplifies the effectiveness of what is already in place; it does not typically resolve the fundamental weaknesses of a safety program. For example, a robust safety program that utilizes safety management software effectively will enhance efficiencies and provide timely, actionable insights. On the other hand, a weak safety program may lead to the underutilization of such technology, wasting resources and potentially obscuring critical issues like poor hazard understanding.

Commitment to Safety Tech

For a successful integration of new safety technology, an organization must be willing to allocate sufficient resources, including time for a dedicated program champion or manager. The experience with telematics in the automotive industry illustrates this well; these devices have the potential to significantly improve driver behavior and reduce incidents, but only if they are actively managed. Passive installation without active monitoring, feedback, and accountability will not yield the desired improvements. Managers tasked with these responsibilities must have the capacity to handle them, underscoring the need for a thoughtful approach to capacity planning, incentives, and accountability mechanisms.

Key Takeaways

Problem Identification: Ensure that the specific safety issues are well-understood before integrating technology.

Hierarchy of Controls: Apply fundamental safety measures before considering technological solutions.

Realistic Adoption Expectations: Prepare for potential resistance and ensure robust management support for new safety technologies.

Safety Program Foundation: Technology should build upon, not attempt to replace, the foundations of an already established safety program.

Resource Allocation: Dedicate necessary resources, including personnel, to manage and monitor safety technology effectively.

Looking Ahead

Successfully integrating safety technology into workplace practices requires more than just acquiring tools. It involves a deep understanding of specific problems, strategic application of safety measures, and a solid foundation in existing safety programs. The commitment of the entire organization, from management to every team member, is crucial for leveraging these technologies to enhance safety outcomes and promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

91黑料网 is upholding its part to change these statistics and support women in technology. We鈥檙e more than just a , and it鈥檚 not surprising considering our involvement with organizations that support women in technology. Our long-lasting partnership with the demonstrates our commitment to philanthropy and the promotion of technology careers for women. In partnership with MCWT, 91黑料网 not only provides a platform for female employees to give back to the community through volunteering opportunities (such as judging at technology competitions, mentoring young women in tech, etc.) but also attracts female talent into the company. We also offer leadership clinics and other avenues for professional development and pride ourselves on providing these opportunities which further solidify our commitment to nurturing women’s growth in both the technology and insurance industry.

With over 27 years of experience in the technology field, Director of Application Engineering, Jyothi Palakodati, has enjoyed multiple opportunities to support women in the field, including several at 91黑料网.

鈥淢y educational background in Computer Science paired with giving back to the community 鈥� especially encouraging other women in technology 鈥� are passions of mine. I鈥檝e been with 91黑料网 for a year and a half now, and I am thrilled to validate that 91黑料网 IT is a best place to work, especially for women.鈥�

As 91黑料网鈥檚 point of contact for the MCWT relationship, Jyothi recently had the privilege of presenting scholarships to four young women who elected to study technology-related majors. She adds,

鈥�91黑料网 has an inclusive environment where women can thrive and contribute at all levels of the company. Women leaders in various cadres, including leadership and pivotal roles both in and outside of IT at 91黑料网, help to highlight our commitment to diversity and equality. Personally, the company鈥檚 values align with my passion for giving back to the community and supporting women in technology, making it a fulfilling workplace for me.鈥�

In her early career, UX Designer, Holly Ross, who has an educational background in Computer Science, is passionate about the technology field. Over her two and a half years with the company, she has enjoyed the benefits of growth on a tech career path. She remarked:

鈥�91黑料网 is a company where all women can feel welcome, thrive, and grow within their careers, both inside and outside of IT. 91黑料网 lives true to the company’s values on a daily basis while consistently giving back to its employees and the community. It is amazing to experience how diverse and inclusive 91黑料网’s culture is. I am proud to call myself a woman in IT at 91黑料网.鈥�

Our company鈥檚 leadership is the driving force for recruiting people with a wide variety of backgrounds and skills, from recent graduates to seasoned managers. Chief Information Officer, Amjed Al-Zoubi, has been enthusiastic about opening the door for more women in technology as well as supporting the greater industry. He expressed his enthusiasm for our partnership with MCWT:

鈥淗aving a diverse team is so important in making 91黑料网 a great place to work as well as for delivering great results, and MCWT is a part of that. What is really inspiring about MCWT鈥檚 vision is their full 鈥渓ife cycle鈥� approach. From school-aged through professional careers, MCWT is working to grow interest in technology and keep women in the technology field as they move into the professional world. This makes a huge difference for Michigan companies looking for talent in technology fields.鈥�

91黑料网 is recruiting top talent in information technology and related areas. Please check out 91黑料网.com/Careers for more information on our openings and how to apply.

Look around you. You’ll likely spot people sporting FitBits庐, Apple Watches, and other wearable devices that track heart rate, number of steps walked, and sleep patterns 鈥� just to name a few. Fueled by a growing consumer desire for self-monitoring and health tracking, wearable technology has tripled in use over the past four years. have shown this growth is fueled by consumers’ willingness to embrace fitness technology, with over 80% of consumers agreeing they would embrace the same.

These gadgets, once confined to personal fitness tracking, have now become mainstream, with . This trend extends beyond personal use, making its mark in industrial applications. But why the surge in popularity, especially in the workplace?

What is Wearable Technology?

Wearable technology or 鈥溾�� are smart electronic devices that are worn close to and/or on the surface of the skin, where they detect, analyze and transmit body signal information such as vital signs, and/or ambient data. In some cases, that data is used to provide immediate biofeedback to the wearer. From simple lifestyle changes to enhancing overall health, users have found these devices beneficial, and their impact extends beyond personal well-being.

Wearables in the Workplace

Employers and industry leaders are catching on to the benefits of wearables, leveraging these devices for more informed risk management decisions and to improve overall operational performance. 

In a collaboration with an insurance company pioneering change in Workers鈥� Compensation and smart wearable technology, 91黑料网 initiated a pilot using wearable technology at select healthcare agencies. The reflex wearable device uses sensors and biomechanical analysis to determine when employees are working with incorrect posture, providing real-time feedback if excessive bending, twisting, or reaching maneuvers are detected. An online dashboard also provides a risk profile of their workforce and evaluates safety interventions over time, which ultimately resulted in a nearly 50% reduction in strain injuries and a 38% drop in loss severity.

Less strain can mean safer employees, as well as improved insurance costs and overall safety culture within an organization.

Across the 91黑料网

Wearables aren’t just exclusive to healthcare. 91黑料网 such as manufacturing and construction are also adopting this technology to help prevent injuries, increase operational efficiencies, and improve overall safety culture.

Exoskeletons are another form of wearable being used in industry to proactively prevent injuries and ensure employee safety. Overexertion and strain injuries continue to be a leading cause of pain, physical disability, missed work, lost productivity, turnover, and medical expenses. that employers pay nearly $1 billion in direct Workers鈥� Compensation claims costs for these injuries 鈥� without considering the indirect costs that do not typically show up on an insurance carrier鈥檚 loss runs. That鈥檚 why this technology is becoming a popular investment to ensure worker safety, well-being, and productivity.

In a collaboration with the , 91黑料网 Risk Management secured a safety grant which funded a pilot program for select policyholders to utilize exoskeleton wearables to pioneer solutions for the reduction of worker injuries and workplace safety. Participating organizations reported improvements in:

• Quality metrics
• Overall productivity
• Quality of care or service rendered
• Staffing levels
• Scheduling

Overall, wearable technology has become a more practical, approachable and affordable approach and have shown that Workers鈥� Compensation costs are reduced when using exoskeletons within the workplace.

Next Steps: A Wearable Revolution

If your organization has not yet considered the use of wearable technology, now is the time to see if this technology is right for you. You will want to evaluate operations, quality, safety and risk management to determine if wearables are needed to further your company鈥檚 mission and values. Can you find opportunity areas that could be addressed by piloting wearable technology? Potential opportunity areas or challenges to consider include:

• Increased overtime
• Increased absenteeism
• Staffing shortages
• Quality of care or service rendered
• Quality of product manufactured or constructed
• Production quotas or timeframes
• Increased Workers鈥� Compensation costs
• Uptick in loss trends or identified safety issues

If these are challenges that may be persistent in your organization, you should consider how to implement wearable technology in your workplace. Think about what the issues are, what the best type of wearable technology might be to address the issue, and if the costs of implementation will provide a benefit to your organization in the long term. Moving forward with wearables should also include collaboration with senior management as well as the company鈥檚 Operations, Human Resources and Risk Management teams.

You also should consider how the workforce will embrace the technology. Gathering employee input before implementation will help increase compliance. Tell your employees why the technology is being considered and educate them on how the technology will be utilized and what performance metrics will be evaluated through the use of the technology. Employee trust is key to a successful implementation. Wearables can lead to positive change, and not everyone is quick to embrace change, especially if they are uninformed about why the changes are occurring.

You should also consider your business relationships, such as those with various vendors and your insurance carrier as these relationships may be able to assist you as follows:

• In determining what wearables might work best for you
• Increased absenteeism – how the costs of implementation might be offset
• How the use of wearable technology may impact your existing business relationships
• Other relational impacts

Your network may be key in helping you determine whether wearables are right for your organization.

Construction is utilizing wearable technology to:

Manufacturing companies are using wearables to:

Consumers, employers, employees, patients, residents 鈥� everyone can benefit from wearable technology whether at home or at work, if implemented well and the data is utilized to target improved outcomes. Whether used for personal health improvement, reduced commercial insurance costs, increased employee morale, improved quality of care provided, or any other benefit, the data provided by these devices can only help us to better our performance both personally and professionally.

Safety, quality, productivity, efficiency. Wearable technology addresses all of these key values regardless of industry. Will your company be at the forefront of this technological innovation or will you be 鈥渇ashionably late鈥�?

Explore the possibilities of wearable telematics by contacting your 91黑料网 Risk Management expert or by visiting our website.

According to the (CISA), Securing Our World focuses on four critical actions everyone can take to stay safe online:

Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords make it more difficult for hackers to enter the account and are considered 鈥渓ong, random, unique and (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols.)鈥�

Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Enabling MFA, which provides more than one password and access point, can reduce the risk of being hacked and is especially important on platforms such as email, social media and financial accounts.

Recognize and Report Phishing
Be cautious of unsolicited messages that ask for personal information and 鈥渁void sharing sensitive information or credentials with unknown sources,鈥� according to the CSA. Never open or click on a link or attachment from a sender you do not recognize and report any phishing attempts to your organization.

Update Software
Ensure all software is up-to-date across devices and regularly check for automatic updates. Having the latest version of programs can enable necessary security patches and help eliminate previous risks.

Learn More

Visit these resources to learn more about cybersecurity and protect your business today:

Manufacturers account for nearly of the U.S. economy鈥檚 total output, and the industry employs 8.4% of the workforce. Manufacturing remains among the top five largest employment sectors and is key to U.S. contributions, according to the United States Census Bureau. In fact, manufacturing generates approximately .

Roles within the sector are evolving as the industry landscape shifts, and the demand for highly skilled workers is rising across industries. Among the most in-demand manufacturing roles are those with a heightened digital skillset, focused in areas such as artificial intelligence and automation. In the next 10 years, four million roles will need to be filled in the sector. If left unfilled, missing manufacturing jobs could cost up to $1 trillion in 2030 alone, according to .

Leveraging Today鈥檚 Insights at Women in Manufacturing

91黑料网鈥檚 experts recently engaged with industry leaders and learned more about today鈥檚 insights and takeaways by participating as exhibitors during the annual Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Summit.

鈥淚t was inspiring to exhibit and support the WiM鈥檚 largest conference to date 鈥� with 1,700 participants from 324 companies, 42 states and 16 countries 鈥� and showcase how 91黑料网 supports manufacturing through our expertise and service capabilities with our in-person and virtual booths,鈥� said Cindy Slubowski, 91黑料网鈥檚 Manufacturing, Wholesale and Distribution Market Segment Leader.

In addition to the exhibit booth, 91黑料网 sponsored the summit鈥檚 鈥淔irst Timers鈥� reception and a 5K run for the Women in Manufacturing Educational Foundation, and company representatives attended the conference鈥檚 educational workshops and presentations.

鈥淭here were many inspiring and thought-provoking sessions, such as 21^st Century Rosies presented by Boeing 鈥� the home of the original Rosie 鈥攁nd hearing from trailblazing women who 鈥榗an do it鈥�, and who have found their place to succeed in a male-dominated field,鈥� said Slubowski.

The group learned about the 鈥�4.0 manufacturing modernization journey,鈥� an industry concept led by engineers and operations employees to address robotics, automation, virtual models designed to reflect a physical object (also known as digital twins), and digitization in legacy and new manufacturing plants. There were also informative sessions on emotional leadership and steering high-performing teams.聽

鈥淭he session on globalization was especially fascinating as reshoring and nearshoring are realities we are starting to see and can expect manufacturing to increase in the U.S. and Mexico in the next few years,鈥� said Slubowski.

Protection Forged in Partnership

91黑料网 is investing in our products and our people to help protect manufacturing businesses. Learn more about the unique coverage and safety technologies to complement your manufacturing programs, including new products and industry-leading service for more manufacturing businesses.