Work reintegration after long-term sick leave: domains of influence on co-workers’ ability to be supportive

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to identify domains of influence on co-workers’ ability to be supportive of returning worker during the work reintegration (WR) process.

Methods: An ethnographic study design was chosen involving fieldwork at four different workplaces, at an emergency care service, a waste disposal company and at two nursing homes. Qualitative methods for inquiry were used including participant observation, individual- and group interviews of 30 participants. Data were coded and analysed according to a grounded theory approach.

Results: Four themes were identified related to domains of influence on co-workers’ ability to be supportive of returning worker during the WR process: (1) organisation of work and level of interaction; (2) disruption of work routines, (3) relationship with returning worker and (4) attitudes towards sick leave.

Conclusion: The WR process after long-term sick leave is not only influenced by the WR’s arrangements made, but also by the co-workers’ responses to the process. Work arrangements not only affect the returning worker’s ability to return-to-work (RTW) successfully, but also the co-workers’ ability to be supportive and their ability to take active part in the process.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• The process of WR after long-term sick leave involves interaction with co-workers.

• Domains of influence is in the co-workers’ perspective influencing their ability to be supportive during reintegration of a returning worker.

• Future WR management could benefit from integrating the conditions for co-worker support.

• We encourage co-workers to be involved in the RTW planning, monitoring and evaluation with particular focus on how the WR arrangements are influencing their work and their ability to be supportive.

Keywords:

• Co-workers
• field work
• return to work
• sickness absence
• work reintegration

Acknowledgements

Our profound gratitude goes to the informants participating in this study and to anthropologist and research assistant Sofie Munkholm, who took part in generating and analysing data. We are grateful to the workplaces for giving us access to and insights into their everyday work practices and their processes of reintegrating a returning worker after long-term sick leave.

Declaration of interest

All authors declare no conflict of interest. This study was funded by the Danish Working Environment Research Fund: Project number. 31–2011-03, Journal number 20110038323.