Building World-Class Workers

Professional athletes who sign multi-million dollar contracts with teams must undergo a physical examination to ensure they are capable of performing at an elite level and that they are free of any underlying injuries that could hinder their performance. This practice is standard in the sports world, but it is also applicable in other physically demanding industries such as construction, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, and healthcare. Employers in these industries can use specific physical examinations to confirm that their workforce is physically capable of carrying out job tasks.

Physical Capability Assessments (PCA), is a strategy that thousands of employers in different industries have begun to use to ensure the physical capabilities of their future employees. Below, we look at the benefits and advantages that come with performing a PCA’s on your workers. 

What is a PCA?

A PCA is a type of physical examination that assesses specific skills of a person an organization is looking for. Employers use a PCA to better determine if a job candidate can safely and effectively meet the physical demands of the job they have been offered. A PCA includes measuring and testing different physical characteristics based on the type of job and its physical requirements.

How long does a PCA take?

Once a job offer has been given to an employee, a PCA generally takes less than 30 minutes to complete. Ideally, a PCA is tailored to a specific job description and includes testing abilities in alignment with a Job Task Analysis.

Benefits of a PCA.

Why should your company consider conducting a PCA for your employees? It's essential to ensure that your workforce is capable of safely and efficiently performing their job tasks. For instance, a warehouse worker who is unable to repeatedly and properly lift 40-pound pallets of merchandise in your stockroom is at risk of injury and can reduce operational efficiency. Additionally, a PCA can help your company avoid potentially costly workers' compensation fees. A recent study found that newly hired employees who passed a PCA showed a 67% reduction in workers' compensation injury rates. Furthermore, conducting a PCA on all new workers helped improve retention rates by at least 21%. Since losing an employee can cost 1.5 to 2 times the employee's salary, reducing turnover can significantly improve your company's long-term profitability.

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Build Your Team with DataFit

DataFit specializes in safety, injury prevention, data analytics, and workforce management to help optimize costs. On average, our workforce services have resulted in a 67% reduction in workers' compensation costs and demonstrate a greater than 5 to 1 return on investment. If your company is considering implementing a PCA process for future employees, please contact DataFit today. We can assist your company in developing and implementing an effective cost-cutting tool for optimizing your workforce.