Part two of a three-part series from WorkWell on the strategic, financial, and cultural dimensions of workplace safety and musculoskeletal (MSK) health.  

Every CFO knows the drill: the monthly P&L review. Revenues, margins, operating costs—it’s all there in black and white. But hidden between the neat columns is a cost that rarely makes it onto the spreadsheet in a way leaders can see: the quiet drain of musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries.

A CFO’s Wake-Up Call

At one manufacturer, the CFO was puzzled. Equipment downtime had decreased, turnover was stable, and yet operating margins were slipping. After digging deeper, the answer emerged: injuries. Sprains, strains, and repetitive motion issues had quietly racked up millions in costs—lost time, overtime pay, workers’ comp claims, and rising insurance premiums.

What surprised him most wasn’t the size of the number—it was that the cost wasn’t tracked until it was too late. The most expensive injuries were the ones no one paid attention to until they had already happened.

The Real Cost of Everyday Injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries are rarely dramatic events. They often start as a sore back after a long shift, or shoulder stiffness from repetitive lifting. When ignored, they can escalate into claims, surgeries, and months of lost productivity.

The numbers tell the story according to the Liberty Mutual 2025 Safety Index:

• $59 billion: Annual cost of serious workplace injuries to U.S. employers.
• $13.7 billion: From overexertion alone.
• $1.8 billion: From repetitive motion injuries.

These injuries don’t just hurt workers—they erode profit margins.

Why Leaders Miss It

Executives track equipment downtime like hawks. They measure turnover to the decimal point. But injury costs? Too often they’re lumped into a generic “insurance” or “HR” line item. That invisibility means leaders underestimate the true financial impact until it’s too late.

The Leadership Lens

The real opportunity isn’t just in treating injuries—it’s in preventing them. Companies that shift focus to proactive MSK health programs consistently:

• Lower workers’ comp and insurance costs
• Reduce lost time and overtime 
• Improve productivity and retention 
• Strengthen safety culture and morale

Every dollar invested in prevention delivers multiples in avoided costs.

The WorkWell Difference

At WorkWell, we help leaders make the invisible visible. Our programs—onsite MSK clinics, early intervention, functional job descriptions, and post-offer testing—shine a light on hidden risks before they drain profit.

Instead of waiting for injuries to show up on the P&L, we help leaders build systems that prevent them altogether.

From Hidden Cost to Strategic Advantage

The CFO in our story now tracks injury costs alongside equipment downtime and turnover. More importantly, he’s flipped them from a line item of loss to a source of savings and culture strength.

The question for leaders isn’t whether injuries cost money. It’s whether you’re willing to let them remain invisible—or ready to turn prevention into profit.