Policy and Practice of Work Ability: A Negotiation of Responsibility in Organizing Return to Work

Seing, Ida; Ståhl, Christian; Nordenfelt, Lennart; Bülow, Pia H.; Ekberg, Kerstin

doi:10.1007/s10926-012-9371-3

Cited by 51 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This tension between social responsibility and economic interests has been observed in previous research [12,19,[38][39][40][41]. One study identified how employers experienced a conflict of interest between their formal role of implementing an early-return-to-work policy and their need to consider their production demands [39].…”

Section: Employers' Economic Perspective On Return To Work In the Conmentioning

confidence: 85%

Return to work or job transition? Employer dilemmas in taking social responsibility for return to work in local workplace practice

Seing

MacEachen

Ekberg

et al. 2014

Disability and Rehabilitation

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PurposeThe aim was to analyse the role and activities of employers with regard to return to work (RTW), in local workplace practice. MethodSemi-structured interviews were conducted with sick-listed workers and their supervisors in 18 workplaces (n=36). The analytical approach to study the role of employers in RTW was based on the three-domain model of social corporate responsibility. The model illustrates the linkage between corporations and their social environment, and consists of three areas of corporate responsibility: economic, legal and ethical. ResultsEmployers had difficulties in taking social responsibility for RTW, in that economic considerations regarding their business took precedence over legal and ethical considerations. Employers engaged in either 'RTW activities' or 'transition activities' that were applied differently depending on how valued sick-listed workers were considered to be to their business, and on the nature of the job (e.g. availability of suitable work adjustments). ConclusionsThis study suggests that Swedish legislation and policies does not always adequately prompt employers to engage in RTW. There is a need for further attention to the organizational conditions for employers to take social responsibility for RTW in the context of business pressure and work intensification.3

show abstract

Section: Employers' Economic Perspective On Return To Work In the Conmentioning

confidence: 85%

Return to work or job transition? Employer dilemmas in taking social responsibility for return to work in local workplace practice

Seing

MacEachen

Ekberg

et al. 2014

Disability and Rehabilitation

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It entails an orientation towards disability with focus on a person's functional and activity limitations due to illness or disease [2][3][4]. From a rehabilitation perspective, the purpose is to improve an individual's work ability after injury or illness, and work ability is often described as an interaction between the person, the task and the environment [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. There has been less focus on the results of work ability, i.e.…”

Section: Work Abilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The concept of `work ability' from the view point of employers

Jansson

Björklund

Perseius

et al. 2015

WOR

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. BACKGROUND:Since work ability is manifested in working life and "bought" by employers, employers perceptions of the concept are important to understand. Studies have shown that people with health problems want to take part in the labour market, but experience difficulties in gaining access. Additionally, studies have demonstrated the doubt felt by employers when they consider hiring a person with a disability. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to identify and characterise employers' conceptions of work ability. METHODS: The study design was qualitative with a phenomenographic approach. Six male and six female employers from various workplaces and geographical areas in Sweden were interviewed. RESULTS: Three domains were identified: employees' contributions to work ability, employers' contributions to work ability and circumstances with limited work ability. Work ability was regarded as a tool in production and its output, production, was the main issue. The employees' commitment and interest could bridge other shortcomings. CONCLUSIONS: The employers highlighted their own contributions in shaping work ability in order to fit with work circumstances. Health problems were not the only limiting issues; other circumstances, such as individual characteristics and contextual factors, could limit work ability too. Knowing the importance of commitment and interest is valuable in work rehabilitation.

show abstract

“…In a recent Swedish study, this process was characterized as a negotiation between employers, health care professionals and insurance officials, in which employers were identified as holding the "trump card". That is, if the manager said a person could not work, this person would not be returning to that workplace (Seing et al 2012). Here, it is possible to speak of a "bottom line ethics", where the priorities are set by the stakeholder that holds the power to influence the process.…”

Section: Application To the Wdp-rtw Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethical Perspectives in Work Disability Prevention and Return to Work: Toward a Common Vocabulary for Analyzing Stakeholders’ Actions and Interactions

2013

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many studies have emphasized the importance of medical, insurance and workplace systems treating individuals fairly in work disability prevention (WDP) and return-to-work (RTW). However, ethical theories and perspectives from these different systems are rarely discussed in relation to each other, even though in practice these systems constantly interact. This paper explores ethical theories and perspectives that may apply to the WDP-RTW field, and discusses these in relation to perspectives attributed to dominant stakeholders in this field, and to potential differences in different jurisdictional contexts.Literature was sought primarily in biomedical ethics, business ethics, and public administration ethics. In biomedical ethics, four ethical principles are dominant: autonomy, beneficence, nonmalevolence and justice. Business ethics involve theories on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), social contracts and organizational justice. Public administration ethics focus on constitutional theory, citizenship, social equity, virtue and public interest. Several concepts were identified as relevant for ethical analyses in the WDP-RTW field, including justice; individual autonomy; nonmalevolence; economic and social responsibility; and social contracts. These concepts provide a vocabulary that may be used to analyze stakeholders' actions and interactions in RTW processes. It was also noted how the power balance between stakeholders will influence which ethical perspectives will influence RTW. Jurisdictional differences that influence RTW processes with regard to stakeholder responsibilities were identified, as well as varying beliefs as to who is the client in different compensation systems. A social contractual approach may inform an analysis of cultural and legal differences.3

show abstract

Policy and Practice of Work Ability: A Negotiation of Responsibility in Organizing Return to Work

Cited by 51 publications

References 21 publications

Return to work or job transition? Employer dilemmas in taking social responsibility for return to work in local workplace practice

Return to work or job transition? Employer dilemmas in taking social responsibility for return to work in local workplace practice

The concept of `work ability' from the view point of employers

Ethical Perspectives in Work Disability Prevention and Return to Work: Toward a Common Vocabulary for Analyzing Stakeholders’ Actions and Interactions

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About