The Forum Program
The purpose of the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI is to provide senior executives with a variety of opportunities to enable them to engage in open dialogue about the challenges that they face in an increasingly complex global marketplace.
The Forums are cost-effective one-day sessions allowing participants to:
* Engage in interactive discussion with peers from corporations with leading-edge programs
* Exchange applied best practices across industries in a closed-door, vendor-free setting
* Share cost-saving ideas and experiences
* Enhance their knowledge base and problem-solving resources
The 17th Annual Benefits Forum
June 8, Rosemont (Chicago), IL
The program for this year’s Forum will focus on how companies are designing and managing their benefits programs during difficult business conditions, while planning for a turnaround. The Benefits Forum allows for, and facilitates, more intensive and participatory dialogue and more personal peer networking than is generally experienced at large-scale benefits conferences. Indeed, past attendees have consistently described the Benefits Forum as offering the most beneficial, relevant, and current information of any advanced level benefits program available.
Forum on Best Practices for Controlling Workers’ Compensation Costs
June 9, Rosemont (Chicago), IL
There is abundant empirical and anecdotal evidence to show that economic downturns can result in a spike in the workers’ compensation costs companies experience. This is particularly true when companies are required to reduce workforces in difficult times. Because of this, rising unemployment—witnessed most notably in the early stages of recession—produces an increase in both workers’ compensation claims frequency and the length of time injured workers remain out as some workers see such benefits as being more lucrative than unemployment benefits. This increased claims rate is likely to diminish as a recession wears on and the rate of claims may even return to the pre-employment level before the recession ends. This, however, does not necessarily mean that workers’ compensation costs will start to fall. Indeed, it is likely that during prolonged economic difficulties the cost on a per claim basis will continue to increase at a rate which exceeds savings realized from a decreasing claims rate. Evidence shows that prolonged recessions witness increases in “back end” workers’ compensation cost drivers (total claims cost) evidenced by claims of longer duration and larger settlements. Moreover, for some employers in industries such as construction and manufacturing a recovery can mean a higher rate of injuries as new inexperienced workers are hired and laid off workers are reemployed as demand prompts rapid growth.
The point is that the recent economic recession has given rise to a need for companies to be more vigilant than ever in their efforts to control workers’ compensation costs. In this environment, MAPI has decided to build on the highly successful programs it has sponsored in years past which highlighted innovative steps utilized by some particularly well-managed companies to control these costs. It is envisioned that this one-day forum will focus on such cost control techniques as: state of the art safety initiatives; innovative early return to work programs; effective workers’ compensation training for employees, supervisors, management, and treating physicians; aggressive claims management; careful medical bill audits, etc.
The 3rd Annual Talent and Leadership Development Forum
June 10, Rosemont (Chicago), IL
This forum is especially for corporations that are looking to maintain the efforts of their talent and leadership development functions. The program for this year’s Forum will focus on how companies are continuing to sustain their talent and leadership development programs while planning for an improved business climate. The program was developed after surveying a large group of senior-level leaders responsible for their companies’ talent and leadership development programs to determine which topics they consider to be highly topical and of greatest interest.
Format
At each Forum, attendees will participate in a series of highly interactive discussions. During the program, participants will initiate peer discussions based on company experiences, ensuring a practical, yet strategic approach towards benchmarking. MAPI will also provide ample time for open roundtable discussion, allowing participants to get peer feedback on issues they are facing. The Forum's seminar format encourages attendees to engage in extensive (and confidential) question-and-answer sessions.
Vendor-Free, Senior-Level Dialogue
To ensure that each Forum maintains its focus on candid dialogue and information sharing in a seminar format, we will limit the size of the meeting, and we will not accept registrations from service providers or vendors. In order for companies to maximize the value to be derived from a Forum, suggested attendees are executives and managers who have senior-level responsibility for their company’s function pertinent to that Forum.
Year-Round Value
As a value-added service, through May 31, 2011, Forum attendees will have access to a MAPI Forum e-Roundtables, an email tool through which attendees can request quick surveys of their peers.