< PreviousBy statute, the Board of Directors consists of 10 members appointed by the Government of Manitoba after consultation with employers, workers and the public. The tripartite representation includes a neutral Board Chairperson, three representatives of employers, three representatives of workers and three representatives of the public interest. The President and CEO is a non-voting member of the Board. As stewards of the compensation system, the Board of Directors plans for its future. The Board of Directors sets the WCB’s strategic direction; makes policies about compensation, rehabilitation, assessment, prevention and investment of the funds within the investment portfolio; and monitors progress in these areas. Coloured dots denote committee membership. Audit Committee External Member – Donald SobkowFinance CommitteeInvestment Committee External Members – Bob Darling, Brad Peacock and Cathy RollandPolicy, Planning, Governance and Service CommitteePrevention Committee External Members – Dave Dyson, Acting Deputy Minister, Growth, Enterprise and Trade; Rick Farley; Ron Koslowsky, Manitoba Vice President, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters; Dennis Nikkel, Chief Prevention Officer The Chairperson of the Board of Directors is a member of all committees. The President and CEO is an ex-officio member of all committees.For a description of the responsibilities of each committee, see the Terms of Reference available at www.wcb.mb.ca/board-and-executive. Representatives of the public interest:Peter DyckJan SchubertColleen SeymourMichael D. Werier, ChairpersonWinston Maharaj, President and CEORepresentatives of employers:Chris LorencJane MacKayYvette MilnerRepresentatives of workers:Jean-Guy BourgeoisSylvia FarleyRob LabossiereOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND BOARD COMMITTEES 10 | WCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORTOUR LEADERS – EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Our Executive Management Committee oversees the strategic direction of the WCB and leads a diverse group of employees who fulfill the WCB’s vision of being A trusted partner, insuring today and building a safer tomorrow.(standing left to right): Lori Ferguson Sain, General Counsel and Vice President, Compliance and Corporate Services; Warren Preece, Director, Communications; Darren Oryniak, Vice President, Compensation Services; Jamie Hall, Chief Operating Officer, SAFE Work Manitoba; Renzo Borgesa, Vice President, Assessments, Innovation and Technology (seated left to right): Lorena Trann, Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Administrative Services; Winston Maharaj, President and CEO; Shannon Earle, Vice President, Human Resources and StrategyWCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORT | 11OUR CUSTOMERS In 2017, we continued our journey of improving Return to Work outcomes by developing a high-level roadmap to take us into the future. Supporting a safe return to meaningful work is a valued service to Manitoba employers, workers and their families. Small employers are receiving more support with their Return to Work while medium and large employers are accessing our Return to Work consulting group who offer individual assessments along with training programs that expanded beyond the city limits of Brandon and Winnipeg to reach northern and southern areas of the province.Our Return to Work efforts are further supported by the first-ever social marketing campaign that positions “rest isn’t always best” when recovering from an injury or illness. In fact, healthcare experts state that getting back to work can sometimes do more for a worker’s recovery than being at home. That’s why it was important for us to share with our fellow Manitobans that returning to meaningful and safe work is an important part of recovery.For claims management, we designated 2017 the year of quality by putting in a performance quality framework that evaluates the changes made to ensure best practices are being followed. A robust quality assurance system is in place that includes more file reviews. This focus on service ensures we maintain our goal of putting employers and injured workers at the centre of all we do and we see our efforts reflected in positive customer satisfaction scores.We also recognize the life cycle of a claim impacts customer satisfaction. Approximately 85 per cent of ENSURING PROMPT CUSTOMER SERVICEClaims paid within 14 days of injuryTarget - 70%70%12 | WCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORTinjured workers receive benefits and services for a short term claim – eight weeks or less. We recognize that injured workers with a short term claim will likely have a more positive experience with the WCB, attributed to the injury or illness being of a shorter duration and less disruptive to work and family life. The more severe an injury or illness is, and as the absence from work becomes longer, pain, fear and frustration can play a role and for the approximately 15 per cent of injured workers who have long term claims, their satisfaction with the WCB tends to be lower. Our customer service improvements also included a number of enhancements for employers, including a “Live Web Chat” option on our website for employers wanting to engage in a conversation with our Assessment Services department. It’s another avenue for assistance that employers can use at times convenient to them, in addition to phone and email. We also introduced a new Claim Transaction Statement that provides employers with active claims additional cost categories, expanded transaction descriptions and identifies what claim information is used to calculate future rates. Finally, the WCB is now a full participant in the Manitoba companies program “One Business One Number” initiative. Partnering with the Government of Manitoba provides better service to simplify the interaction between the business client and the public sector by providing business clients a single identifier that works across multiple departments and jurisdictions.Measuring our progress in providing value and excellent service to our customers is important. Employer surveys showed that the level of overall satisfaction with the WCB was 76 per cent among employers with coverage, while 87 per cent of employers agreed that the WCB’s services fit their needs. With Short Term Claims2016 - 80% 2015 - 77%2014 - 77%2013 - 77%With Case Management2016 - 69% 2015 - 64%2014 - 61%2013 - 61%ENHANCING INJURED WORKER CUSTOMER SATISFACTION2017 84%2017 72%IMPROVING EMPLOYER CUSTOMER SATISFACTION2017 76%2016 - 72% 2015 - 71%2014 - 71%2013 - 71%WCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORT | 13OUR SYSTEM The WCB is a valuable pillar of the Manitoba economy. Seventy-seven per cent of Manitoba workers are covered by the WCB and over 36,000 employers are registered with the WCB, ensuring their workers receive benefits and services in the case of a workplace injury or illness.We are stewards of a system that benefits employers and workers and we focus on maintaining trust and confidence while remaining sustainable and affordable. In 2017, injured workers continued to receive the benefits they are entitled to, while employers paid $18 million less in premiums. We remain in a strong financial position and in 2017 achieved an operating surplus of $57 million after lowering the average assessment rate to $1.10 ($1.25 in 2016). We continue to have one of the lowest assessment rates in Canada and have announced a 2018 rate that dips below one dollar at $0.95 and will be the lowest in all of Canada. Our funded position is now 149 per cent (146 per cent in 2016). These elements all demonstrate the efficiency we provide employers in return for the premiums they pay. We are an example of what a well-run and prudent workers compensation system looks like in Canada. When we benchmark ourselves against our fellow provincial and territorial neighbors, our administrative costs per time loss injury measure ranks as the second most efficient in Canada. Our rate model enhancements continued in 2017 with changes to the way we calculate employer premiums. The first was narrowing our risk category ranges, which minimized how much employer rates For the past several years, Manitoba’s system efficiency as measured by “Administration Costs per Time Loss Injury” has been the lowest or 2nd lowest among all Canadian WCBs.AMONG THE LOWEST ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS IN CANADA14 | WCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORTcan move above or below their classification base rate. The narrowing of the risk category ranges will take place for the 2018 rate year. Further changes to our new rate model will continue until it is fully implemented by 2020. To support the transition to the new rate-setting model, a major policy initiative was undertaken to revise a slate of policies governing assessment rates and the claim costs used for rate-setting purposes. In 2017, the WCB continued to support and provide technical assistance to The Workers Compensation Act Legislative Review Committee 2016-2017 in their mandate of reviewing the Act to ensure it meets the needs of Manitoba employers and workers now and into the future. The WCB also made policy changes around privacy, ethics and code of conduct which support one of our core values of privacy. To support these changes, the WCB enhanced training for staff and stepped up monitoring and auditing to ensure the personal and private information of employers and workers is kept confidential and accessed only by those staff who need the necessary information to perform legitimate job duties.OUR SYSTEM HELPS INJURED WORKERS RETURN TO HEALTH AND MEANINGFUL WORKTarget - 70%After 10 days 64%Target - 95%After 60 days 91%RESERVES AND FUNDINGTarget - 130%2017 - 149%WCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORT | 15OUR PARTNERS Healthcare providers are integral in supporting injured workers and we continued work on improving the flow of information with our electronic health reporting project. We are poised to launch the first stage with physiotherapists in 2018 which will shorten the time frame of receiving reports required for claims management and will expand the program to physicians and chiropractors over the coming years.In 2017 we continued to work with our partners to support Return to Work programs and services, share our rate model progress and promote safe and healthy workplaces with industry partners such as the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba, the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association and the Canadian Association of Manufacturers & Exporters.We also invest considerable energy and resources into building our partnerships with organizations that champion business and labour like the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, the Manitoba Employers Council and the Manitoba Federation of Labour. Whether it is trade shows or speaking opportunities, sharing the integral work and the value of the WCB to businesses, labour groups, industry associations and healthcare providers, the free flow exchange of information is vital to building relationships.GROWING INDUSTRY-BASED SAFETY PROGRAMSWCB-Covered Payroll Served 2017 45%2016 32%16 | WCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORTWCB 2017 annual report | 00Our values also include diversity in the workplace and we were pleased to join Connect Employment Services as they celebrated 25 years of providing job search and other assistance for persons with intellectual disabilities. We also continue to support the Manitoba Aboriginal Youth Achievement Awards and Manitoba Start, an immigration and naturalization service program that provides newcomers with career development services. Another way we support our partners is through the Research and Workplace Innovation Program (RWIP) which earmarks $1 million per year to promote and fund scientific research, training and education and workplace innovation projects related to prevention and Return to Work. The RWIP Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Program ensures project findings are disseminated and shared to maximize project benefits. Finally, in late 2017, the WCB began discussions with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and other partners regarding participating in the Chamber’s Healthy Workplaces Program. The program will provide an opportunity for the WCB to promote Return to Work, prevention and overall wellness in the workplace with the Chamber’s network of members. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROMOTING STRATEGIC INITIATIVESRoad safety awarenessReturn to Work awarenessYouth educationWCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORT | 17OUR PEOPLE In 2017, the WCB continued with training initiatives with a particular focus around privacy and respect and ethics. As an organization, the WCB is committed to respecting the private and confidential information that is shared with us to ensure we can provide the best service to our customers.We also undertook a concerted effort to increase mental health awareness through education and workshops with over 350 staff participating to date. In addition to workshops, we invested in our staff by offering a multi-strategy mental health awareness week along with regular wellness programming. In 2017, the WCB also undertook a biennial staff engagement survey that gives staff a voice and which offers leadership the necessary information to gauge how, as an organization, we reach various goals. There is always room to improve staff engagement and plans are underway to address some of the opportunities identified as we continue to build our culture of excellence.Besides a survey, staff also had the opportunity to ask questions of our Executive Management Committee (EMC) at an annual town hall in May while also learning about current successes and what the future holds for the WCB.Our physical workplace should facilitate delivering exceptional service to our customers. In 2017 we started a multi-year project that will see two floors at our 333 Broadway building completely refurbished. Staff can look forward to more natural light, open sight lines and work zones that allow for solitary work or collaboration.Our people are integral to the WCB carrying out its mission and we focus on building a culture that values diverse ideas, encourages collaboration, and empowers people at all levels to take initiative and feel supported to achieve their full potential. It is Staff Participation 71%Staff Contributions$113,935Total Donations$227,870OUR ANNUAL UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN18 | WCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORTonly with engaged and committed staff that we are able to deliver on our goal of providing exemplary service to our customers.In addition to having a joint management and union committee that is dedicated to championing equity in the workplace, the WCB promotes diversity through many offerings to staff. Some of these include cultural awareness workshops, respectful workplace training, leadership education and certification. We also engage with community agencies and treat volunteer fundraising activities as staff team building exercises to support those Manitobans who need a helping hand. Another fundamental offering that the WCB prides itself in is our ongoing support of staff in their professional growth and development. By investing in our people, we’re ultimately investing in our organization and our customers.The WCB is also proud to support an agency that makes a difference to our community by direct donation and staff contributions. In 2017, the WCB’s United Way campaign reached new heights with 71 per cent of staff donating $113,935. In 2017, the WCB was honoured to once again be recognized as a top Manitoba employer. This is the seventh consecutive year the WCB has been named a Top 30 (previously Top 25) employer which recognizes that our organization leads our industry in offering an exceptional place to work.In compliance with The Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act, the WCB has whistleblower disclosure procedures in place. There were no disclosures reported in 2017.RESULT65%TARGET 70%EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTWCB 2017 ANNUAL REPORT | 19Next >