Good Humans, Doing Good Things in the Industry: Jose Ramirez

Good human focus: Jose Ramirez, VP of Account Management, ProCare Transportation and Translation Services 

“Good Humans, Doing Good Things in the Industry” encompasses all aspects of being a good human. It could be things we are doing to volunteer in the industry, how we treat the injured employees, what you do as a leader for your organization to be a good human – it’s everything.  

The more we share good humans doing good things, more good humans come out of the woodwork and then we have a greater chance to all make an impact in our industry.  

Being kinder, loving harder, being compassionate, being a better listener and acknowledging those who need it.  

It takes one person at a time. And hopefully, sharing good human stories can do that.  

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” -- Mahatma Gandhi 

Having a Servant Leader Mentality 

It was a pleasure to sit down with Jose Ramirez, Vice President of Account Management of ProCare Transportation and Language Services. Each day ProCare deals with an injured employee in some of the hardest times of their lives, and how things are handled each day depends on the team that manages the organization of the transportation and translation. How a team takes care of the injured employee truly matters.  

Jose is a good human, and shared that he works and lives in the servant mentality.  

But what does this mean exactly? Jose works with the mentality that he is always serving others. Starting out in a mailroom at a young age in our industry, he had the opportunity to work in so many roles, take calls, manage hard situations and learn from it all.  

He takes that mentality to the team he leads. Never hesitates to roll up his sleeves as he’s been on the frontline. Most importantly, he shares what he knows because he’s been there and understands the perspectives of the injured employee.  

"Empathy begins with understanding life from another person's perspective." -- Unknown 

Putting things into Perspective 

Recently, Jose took the opportunity to call some of ProCare’s employees and put the company’s mission into perspective.  

“You guys are in the front lines, listen, this is who you are serving. It’s an injured worker, so think about that in the context of workers’ comp. Typically you are going to get 60 percent of your salary if you’re hurt. How would you feel if I took 40 percent of your salary away? What bill can’t you pay, right? Aren’t you going to be frustrated?” 

So often, in our industry, we get jaded because of the demands and want to get on to the next item on a long list to “check the box.”

How often do we take the time to see the injured employee’s perspective?  

An injured employee’s life is turned upside down. Their pay is changed, they aren’t able to do some of the things they used to. While each injury is different in nature, it’s still a life-changing event – sometimes it’s as simple as a cut on their finger, or a sprained ankle and sometimes they are catastrophic, and they will never go back to work. One day their life is normal, and in an instant, it can be changed. This affects their life, their family, and their mental well-being.  

Constant reminder – WE ALL HAVE A JOB BECAUSE SOMEONE GOT HURT AT WORK! 

Jose covered some basics that are too easy to take care for granted but should be at the forefront of how we think about a worker recovering from an injury.

+ “Because they are hurt, they are probably not going to be in the best mood.” 

+ “Injured workers want to get back to work, right?” 

+ “Always remember who you are serving.”  

So true, and he’s right. It’s imperative that we make this a mantra.  

He went on to remind them of the frustrations and injured employees have and put it into context so his team could understand their perspective. He reminds them that they are the front line – and what they do matters. Getting someone to an appointment on time, getting the translation they need – all so they can get back and provide for their families.  

Everyone in our industry has a role. In each role we need to recognize who we are serving and see the perspective of the injured employees and their families.  

What each person does in our industry matters – be a good human while doing it.  

Learning check in: Be open to seeing both sides, different perspectives. This allows you to gain a better understanding of another person's situation and helps the way you communicate with others and changes the way you treat them.

Embracing Authenticity and Staying True to You 

"Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are." -- Brené Brown 

Being authentic and genuine matters – and it’s noticed when you aren’t. You can be professional and be you. We can find kindness in the heart of being authentic while remaining professional.  

Being authentic is also important for Jose and he encourages his team to be themselves. As a leader, he understands not everyone will accept those that are genuine in their actions. Jose stays true to who his is and will do as much as it takes, withing the laws of WC, to ensure an injured employee is taken care of kindly and shows his empathy. This also matters when working with their clients and partners – to align themselves with organizations that look for the same.  

Doing as much as we can for an injured employee sometimes means more money, but if it helps the individual feel safe and comfortable, there are times when it makes sense to go above and beyond. Jose is currently facing a situation like this – an injured employee, that happens to be blind, and after going through several drivers they finally found one that the injured employee feels comfortable with but now struggling with the costs of the transportation with the payor.  

What happens when you find a solution for the injured employee and then you get push back from the carrier or the TPA?  

That’s a current challenge we all face. When you have a strategic partner that is looking out for the injured employee and then the end payor doesn’t see the human perspective. Unfortunately, this happens often. 

This is where staying true to who you are can win – for the person you are serving. THIS MATTERS. 

This is one of the reasons I am writing these articles. 

Bridging it All Together 

As we continue to share these stories of good humans doing good things, it creates a tribe of us to soften an industry that has hardened up.  

Remember who we are serving. See the perspective of the injured employee. Be authentic and true to who you are.  

Take the hard shell off. Remember we are dealing with human beings going through a transition in life. Everyone has a role. Each role is important and who we are in those roles matter to the human being we are helping.  

Be a good human. 

Do what you feel in your heart to be right–for you’ll be criticized anyway. -- Eleanor Roosevelt 

To share your story, please reach out to Kristin Green – kristing@davidcoreycompany.com  

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