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Abstract
Sheltered work settings offer continuing care clients the opportunities of work within a protective environment. However, little is known about which particular aspects of work environments positively or negatively affect mental health. Fourteen features of sheltered work environments were identified according to the model proposed by Warr (1987). The Work Environment Survey (WES) was developed to assess clients' perceptions of the degree to which each feature was present in their work environment. The relationship between clients' mental health and different features of the work environment was then examined. Contrary to prediction, only one feature of the work environment was found to be associated with psychological well-being. Clients' levels of self-esteem were positively related to the degree of importance they felt the general public ascribed to their job. This finding provides empirical support for the notion that sheltered work provision within rehabilitation services should reflect the principles of normalisation.