It’s no secret that our economy, healthcare, and work environments have changed rapidly over the past few years. And while we all have our own individual opinions of these changes, one thing is for sure: We’re now seeing a “perfect storm” from an Employer’s point of view. And while the situation can be challenging for them, Industrial Therapists are perfectly positioned to Partner with them and offer solutions to those challenges.

Workforce trends such as obesity, an aging workforce, and the “Great Resignation”. Nearly one third (27.7 percent) of American workers are classified as obese, with rates ranging even higher in some fields. Obesity raises the risk of numerous health conditions and can often lead to increased risk of accidents as well.

The number of older workers, who are more prone to accidents and illness, has grown consistently since 1994, while the number of younger workers has actually declined.

And as we all saw, the Great Resignation has caused millions of American workers to give up on employment altogether, or at least change industries in search of something better. Labor shortages can unfairly motivate Employers to hire physically under-qualified candidates, which can be dangerous for not only that individual Employee but coworkers as well.

These and other trends point to a great need for improved on-boarding processes that include Prior-to-Hire Assessments and New Employee Transition Conditioning to support on-going Employee well-being and workplace safety. As these trends align, a major opportunity has opened up for professionals ready to fill a new role. You could call it a perfect storm of opportunity for Industrial Therapists!

Increasing costs of healthcare and insurance. Rising costs of healthcare continue to outpace the inflation rate. That means higher insurance rates for Employers, and the likelihood to pass along those costs to Employees. No one is happy with this situation!

Now is the time for Industrial Therapists and Employers to partner up – offer well-being programs – reduce costs related to injuries and healthcare, while improving Employees’ health, job satisfaction, and loyalty. Productivity improves and recruitment becomes easier.

Complicated hiring regulations. The increased focus on avoiding discrimination can pressure Employers into hiring candidates without properly evaluating their physical fitness for the job. At the same time, this trend opens the door for lawsuits when a candidate believes themselves to have been unfairly overlooked. Now more than ever, Employers need access to objective data to support their hiring decisions and their on-boarding transition processes.

Contact KEY to learn more about how you can step into an exciting new career or business add-on, which has been so perfectly provided by converging social, economic, and political factors. The need for Industrial Therapists is great, and the rewards even greater!