The safety and well-being of our employees — both on and off the job — is our No. 1 priority. By working with The Standard, we have extended that philosophy to encompass employees on leave or returning to work.
Proactive Support Boosts Outcomes for Disability
Terracon is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm founded in 1965. The organization has grown to 4,000 employees at 140 offices nationwide, providing services to all 50 states.
The firm was seeing a high rate of short-term disability insurance claims across its locations, and its direct supervisors had little experience managing short-term disability.
This knowledge gap included stay-at-work and return-to-work support. Employee safety is a core value for Terracon. So the firm needed a robust disability program that matched its commitment to employee well-being.
How could Terracon start a disability management program that would:
- Align with its core values?
- Support employees in staying at work and avoiding a disability claim?
- Help employees come back to work after a disability leave?
The first step was talking with Standard Insurance company (The Standard)* about its Workplace Possibilities℠ program.
* Terracon's partnership is with Standard Insurance Company of Portland, Oregon, which is licensed in all states except New York.

Karen Butts, Employee Benefits Manager, Terracon
The Results
Stronger Short-Term Disability Expertise
- Vocational, nurse and behavioral health experts inform supervisors about the best ways to help employees.
- Tailored accommodations support employees in getting back to work and/or stay at work.
A Better Work Environment
- Employees on leave or returning to work said they experienced less stress.
- The collaboration between Terracon and The Standard made it clear that employees weren’t just a number for their employer, but important to the firm’s success.
- Supervisors received expert support in navigating the process to help them better manage employees on leave.
Shorter Disability Leaves
- Workplace Possibilities accommodations made a significant impact in helping employees return to work sooner than expected.
Real Cost Savings
- Shorter disability durations led to lower overall benefits costs for Terracon.

A Different Approach to Disability
Our unique program was the key factor in helping Terracon reduce the duration of its short-term disability claims.

Workplace Possibilities is a structured program that's easy to use. But we can also tailor it to fit a company’s needs. Terracon is a perfect example of how a customized approach can make all the difference.
Jeff Smith, Workplace Possibilities Practice Consultant, The Standard
What Else Can The Standard Do?
Help Build Health and Wellness
Partnering with a broker and an enrollment firm, we worked with Phoebe Putney Health System to realize its vision for benefits built on employee wellness.
Manage Your Absence Program
Absence Management Services make it easy to track employee leaves like Short Term Disability or Family Medical Leave. We offer expert help to stay in compliance with all state and federal regulations.
Partner With The Standard
Let’s talk about how we can tailor a solution for your benefits.