On the opening day of the 69th Annual Workers' Compensation Educational Conference and 26th Annual Safety and Health Conference, I will have the pleasure of presenting a session with Michele Adams of Walt Disney World Resort and David Stills of Walmart. Entitled “Risk Management, Measuring Performance,” the session will underscore the importance of measuring program effectiveness and spotlight how two iconic organizations measure the quality and performance of their risk management programs. While the approach is unique for every company, I have found there are some common themes and techniques that have surfaced and evolved through the years that benefit most organizations.

Customization rules

The key to ensuring favorable outcomes in risk management is to design programs tailored for each employer's specific business and to customize performance metrics according to their needs. To create a successful program, several variables must be considered, such as culture, process and overall business strategy; however, I have observed several overarching components that hold true across businesses. Some of these important similarities include:

• The most successful risk management strategies are integrated with the employer's overall corporate objectives.
• There is a shift towards a more holistic approach to risk management. In this movement, equal weight is given to financial outcomes, cultural awareness, enhancing the employee experience through quality healthcare, and considering customer loyalty and brand reputation efforts throughout the claims management continuum.
• To be successful, employers must communicate with and engage multiple parties who understand the organization's objectives, challenges, and priorities. Your TPA partner should understand your objectives, your challenges, your priorities and most importantly, these goals need to be understood and measured at the desk level. The essential steps in this process include:

- Leveraging all available resources, internally and externally.