Every business looks for that edge that allows them to have the most qualified and most capable employees. The key to creating this environment is to hire only those who are able to perform the job specific tasks required of them. Rehab departments can help local businesses achieve this goal, decrease the risk of injury, and decrease costs associated with worker’s compensation premiums by offering post-offer employment testing and fit-for-duty testing.

With some effort, functional employment testing programs can be built in almost any market. RehabVisions offers these services in many of our locations regardless of population. These testing protocols can be applied to any businesses interested in lowering injury expenses–clerical positions, factory and other manual labor workers, public servant professions, truck drivers and even hospital or skilled nursing employees.

As a therapy provider, there are a few steps you need to take.

1. Decide whether you will use a service or go it alone. Professional employment testing programs make it easy to market and implement. You can go it alone, but many providers have been in the business for decades, and it’s helpful to benefit from their established (often copyrighted) testing protocols, legal research and backing, marketing materials and implementation services.

2. Identify your business targets, present your services, and negotiate the contracts. Negotiation should include pricing and demand for services including job analysis, creation of job descriptions, development of individualized testing protocols and testing.

Starting your own employment testing shouldn’t significantly increase your staffing needs. Much of the testing may be completed by a trained rehab tech, with physical therapists and occupational therapists overseeing any skilled parts in the test. Rehab Director Stephanie Foust, PT said this testing is good for both the business and the employee. “The business knows it is hiring someone capable to do the job, and the employee knows they have a baseline of physical capacity to refer to if an injury does occur,” she said.

As you develop these relationships with your community businesses, you will surely impact your financial performance, but more importantly you will be developing connections for future referral sources and providing a much-needed service to your community.