.png)
Chronic or Persistent Pain
Education and Recovery
Elevate morale and retention with our innovative, evidence-based corporate program.
In today's fast-paced corporate world, the wellbeing of your team is paramount. Chronic pain, often overlooked or undertreated, can significantly impact performance and morale. Addressing this issue head-on not only enhances the quality of life of your employees but also sets a new standard for corporate health culture.
Our Program | The Rationale
Why Consider a Chronic or Persistent Pain Education and Recovery Program
-
Cost: The financial burden of chronic pain on American employers is substantial. Chronic pain costs the United States an estimated $560 to $635 billion annually, a figure that includes both direct medical costs and productivity losses.
-
Reach: As reported by the Harvard Business Review, up to 40% of American workers experience chronic pain — symptoms persisting for more than three months. This exceeds the combined number of people suffering from cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Factors such as an aging workforce, extended work hours, demanding jobs, long Covid, and limited treatment options during the pandemic suggest an increasing prevalence and importance of managing chronic pain at work.
-
Consequences: Chronic pain is associated with increased absence, decrements in job performance, concentration problems, physical limits, and displays of impatience toward coworkers and customers.
-
Taxed Managers: Chronic pain is often an invisible condition because employees usually go to great lengths to conceal it. It is also often an unstable condition, with employees being pain-free on some days and completely debilitated on the next. As a result, managers may become increasingly frustrated by employees who, for no apparent reason, do not perform up to expectations.
Key Program Features
-
Scientifically Proven Approach: Our online program was developed by David Schechter M.D., a family medicine and sports medicine physician with decades of experience in this field. He collaborated with Dr. Justin Barker, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist, with expertise in chronic pain as well. This integrative, online, self-paced program is rooted in evidence-based knowledge and methodologies and incorporates the latest research in chronic pain recovery.
-
Customizable Solutions: Recognizing the unique needs of each individual, our program offers multiple modalities and exercises that are tailored to address specific needs and pain symptoms. For example, journaling can be a key element, and we can provide a Workbook as part of the program.
-
Supporting Leadership: A special Manager Module is included to educate your leaders on the subject and on optimal ways to support team members struggling with chronic pain.
In the Harvard Business Review article, When Someone on Your Team Has Chronic Pain, researchers surveyed 500 American business leaders on chronic pain. The results demonstrate that American business leaders have limited awareness and knowledge of how to lead those with chronic pain. Although 80% of leaders recognized that chronic pain was a concern for their organizations, the same number (80%) did not know how to deal with employees in pain, and 77% wanted to know what they could do as leaders to help.
-
Professional Guidance: If you’re interested in more than self-paced learning, we offer an upgraded version of the program to include medical consultations, coaching, and psychotherapy. These sessions are conducted via the Zoom platform to reach employees nationally and worldwide (within limitations of licensing, etc.)
Benefits for Your Organization
Implementing our Chronic Pain Education and Recovery Program not only supports individual employees but also brings a range of benefits to your entire organization. Here’s how:
-
Increased Employee Productivity: By addressing and alleviating pain, employees can focus more on their work, leading to increased productivity. They are not as distracted by physical symptoms that reduce work efficiency.
-
Enhanced Employee Engagement: Demonstrating a commitment to employee well-being fosters a positive company culture, boosting morale and increasing overall engagement.
-
Reduced Absenteeism: According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, chronic pain significantly impacts work attendance. The study, which used a chronic pain module from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey, found that 50.2 million adults (20.5%) reported experiencing pain on most days or every day. Importantly, respondents with chronic pain reported significantly more missed workdays compared to those without chronic pain (10.3 vs 2.8 days, P < 0.001).
-
Retention and Recruitment Advantage: Offering a comprehensive chronic pain education and recovery program can serve as a powerful retention tool and attract top talent looking for employers who prioritize employee wellness.
-
Leading the Way: Join many of the large organizations, such as the United States Armed Forces, that have started to offer chronic pain management programs for employees and their supervisors by educating them about pain management and providing access to pain education and relief. This program will position your company at the forefront of the industry.
