PurposeThe purpose of this study is to contribute to the discussion on how to increase lower educated workers' participation in training programs inside and outside the workplace through stimulating intentions with respect to training.Design/methodology/approachThis article is based on data from the Study on Life Long Learning and Employment by TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), a three‐wave longitudinal study among lower educated workers in three different companies in The Netherlands. Data from the baseline questionnaire on 213 workers who are not currently participating in training activities are used along with a multiple regression model to test whether subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, attitude/expected value, management support, coworker support, career orientation, job insecurity and prior participation in informal learning correlate with lower educated workers' intentions with respect to training.FindingsThis study shows that when stimulating lower educated workers' intentions with respect to training, one should focus on their attitude towards training participation, their subjective norms on training participation and their perceived behavioral control over participating in training. These aspects can be influenced through management support, coworker support and promoting career orientation. These factors contribute to the personal factors and thus, although indirectly, stimulate intentions with respect to training.Originality/valueThis article is the first to present clear ideas on ways to stimulate lower educated workers' intentions to participate in workplace learning activities and to develop interventions to strengthen their current and future labor market position. It also shows that in stimulating lower educated workers' intentions with respect to training the focus should be on individual, as well as organizational, or group factors.

BACKGROUND: Little is known why some organizations employ vulnerable workers and others do not. OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationships between the attitude, intention, skills and barriers of employers and employment of vulnerable workers. METHODS: We included 5,601 inclusive organizations (≥1% of employees had a disability, was long-term unemployed or a school dropout) and 6,236 non-inclusive organizations of the Netherlands Employers Work Survey 2014–2019. We operationalized employer factors based on the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction as attitude (negative impact), intention (mission statement regarding social inclusion), skills (human resources policies and practices), and barriers (economic conditions and type of work). We used multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models. RESULTS: Compared to non-inclusive organizations, inclusive organizations had a more negative attitude (OR:0.81) and a stronger intention to employ vulnerable workers (OR:6.09). Regarding skills, inclusive organizations had more inclusive human resources practices (OR:4.83) and initiated more supporting human resources actions (OR:4.45). Also, they adapted more work conditions towards the needs of employees (OR:1.52), negotiated about work times and absenteeism (OR:1.49), and had general human resources practices on, for example, employability (OR:1.78). Inclusive organizations had less barriers reflected by better financial results (OR:1.32), more employment opportunities (OR:1.33) and more appropriate work tasks (OR:1.40). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, inclusive organizations reported more positive results on the employer factors of the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction, except for a more negative attitude. The more negative attitude might reflect a more realistic view on the efforts to employ vulnerable groups, and suggests that other unmeasured emotions and beliefs are more positive.

The study investigated whether graphologists can infer extraversion from handwriting correctly. On the basis of three personality questionnaires, three persons (targets) were classified as extraverted and three as introverted. Ten graphologists independently analysed the handwriting of the targets and classified them as extraverted or introverted. Of the 60 (10 graphologists for 6 targets) classifications 58 were correct, which shows the graphologists assessed the classification of extraversion from handwriting. Graphologists agreed substantially on which characteristics of the handwriting were indicative for classification as extraversion or introversion. In each handwriting sample, however, both extraverted and introverted characteristics were present. Eventual classification may be based on the relative frequency of the two kinds of characteristics. Comparative studies like this one indicate that in research one should consider whether graphologists and psychologists share the same notion of extraversion.

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BACKGROUND: Being able to participate in work is an important determinant of health. Therefore, reintegration professionals provide support to clients to return to work (RTW). Since RTW has a significant impact on a client’s life, it is preferred that clients are involved in the decision-making process of RTW. A method to do so, is shared decision-making (SDM), involving the following steps: collaborating as a team, explaining clients that they can be part of the decision-making process, setting a shared goal, presenting and discussing choice options, and making a shared decision. OBJECTIVE: We explored how clients experience and prefer these SDM steps in their current and ideal interaction with professionals. METHODS: We performed semi-structured interviews with fourteen clients receiving support in their RTW process from four different municipalities. RESULTS: Clients emphasised the importance of collaborating as team. None of the clients reported having been told that they could be part of the decision-making process, or discussed a shared goal with a professional, which they would prefer. Some clients were presented choice options. When choice options were discussed, frequently only the negative aspects of choice options were explained by the professional. A great number of clients experienced that shared decisions were made, but based this on the shared effort made by the client and professional to RTW. CONCLUSIONS: Clients generally wish to cooperate and participate in the decision-making process, but their ability to do so is limited due to not being fully involved in the SDM steps.