Training Day: Educating Managers to Own the Workers’ Comp Process
When most teams think about workers’ compensation, they envision insurance carriers, claims adjusters, or Human Resource departments (if they have one) handling all the details. But in reality, the most important people in the workers’ comp process are often the ones closest to the action: managers and supervisors.
They are the first to hear about an incident, the first to document what happened, and the first to decide what steps to take next. That makes them your first line of defense in workers’ comp management - and if they aren’t trained, the entire process is at risk.
Why Managers Matter
A concession worker slips in the concourse. A grounds crew member strains a muscle moving equipment. A ticketing staffer cuts their hand on game day. These aren’t dramatic accidents, but they’re real examples that can spiral into costly claims if handled poorly.
Without quick-response training, managers may:
Delay reporting the incident, creating confusion and liability.
Provide inconsistent or incomplete details, weakening the claim file.
Hesitate on medical decisions, leaving the employee unsure of what to do.
Each of those mistakes increases costs, prolongs the claim, and damages trust with employees.
What Effective Training Looks Like
Empowering managers doesn’t require a massive investment of time or money. Even a one-hour preseason session or quarterly refresher can build confidence and consistency. Training should cover:
Incident Documentation Basics: Who, what, when, where, and how. Having a standard reporting form with all the relevant information would be a great start. The goal is to capture facts quickly and clearly.
Medical Response Protocols: When to send an employee to the on-site EMT, urgent care, or emergency room. Each injury can have a unique treatment plan, making sure you’re consistent and thorough.
Follow-Up Standards: How and when to check in on the employee, and how to keep insurance information up to date.
When managers know what to do, they don’t freeze or guess—they act. And that speed makes all the difference.
The Payoff of Quick-Response Training
Investing in manager education pays off in multiple ways:
Lower Claims Costs: Faster reporting leads to quicker care and cleaner claims.
Reduced Liability: Proper documentation protects the team from disputes or compliance gaps.
Employee Trust: Workers see that their supervisors care and know what to do, which builds loyalty and confidence.
Culture of Safety: Training signals that safety isn’t just HR’s job—it’s part of the team’s daily playbook.
Final Thought
Workers’ comp management doesn’t start with the insurance company—it starts with the people on your front lines. By empowering supervisors with the tools and confidence to respond quickly, you don’t just reduce liability; you build a safer, stronger, and more professional organization.
Because at the end of the day, workers’ comp training is like practice before game day: when the unexpected happens, you want your managers stepping up ready to act—not scrambling for the playbook.
With GameDay Advising, I partner with teams to cut claims costs, reduce liability, and build operational systems that free you up to focus on revenue and fan experience. Click here for to schedule a 30 minute introductory call.
