Work Accommodations in Canadian Social Firms: Supervisors’ and Workers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Social firms (SFs) are an appealing model for people with a mental health condition who are having difficulties maintaining their employment in a competitive labour market. The goal of this study is to compare the availability of work accommodations in two types of Canadian SFs, by interviewing supervisors working in adapted enterprises and consumer/survivor-run businesses, and by obtaining the perceptions of the workers with a mental health condition regarding the usefulness of these accommodations. Results indicate accommodations in both types of SFs are readily available and useful. A significant difference between the two types of SFs is the availability of a job coach whose presence workers found useful in adapted enterprises. Natural supports from stakeholders (e.g., supervisors, job coach) are important for work sustainability.

Can social firms contribute to alleviating the economic burden of psychiatric disabilities for the public healthcare system?

“…As suggested in a previous work (Dewa et al, ), one explanatory hypothesis might be that working in SFs could act as a substitute for medical treatments such as outpatient visits, medication use and hospitalisations. Social support from colleagues and supervisors is often provided in SFs (Corbière & Lecomte, ; Corbière et al, , accepted; Corbière et al, ; Villotti, Corbière, et al, ) and this may create an environment where people have less need for healthcare services. SFs provide meaningful activities and a purpose in life, an opportunity to gain knowledge and new competencies, a sense of group acceptance and belonging, and may increase self‐confidence (Svanberg et al, ).…”

“…Employers were contacted by telephone or during meetings and were informed about the purpose of the study. These enterprises had common features, such as: (a) they are non‐profit business initiatives operating in a competitive economic environment; (b) they promote innovative solutions to exclusion and unemployment; (c) they have a minimum of 25% of workers with a disability; and (d) they foster collaborative work while focusing on self‐empowerment (Corbière et al, , accepted). The participating enterprises represented various sectors: manufacturing ( n = 7), utilities ( n = 1), healthcare and social assistance services ( n = 2), wholesale and retail trade ( n = 2), administrative and support, waste management and remediation services ( n = 1), and other services ( n = 6).…”

“…However, according to Butterworth et al (), the benefits of a change from unemployment to employment on mental health depend on the quality of work. SFs are described as a means of recovery for people with psychiatric disabilities (Corbière et al, , accepted). Since SFs are non‐profit businesses, they often reinvest their profits in the improvement of working conditions.…”

“…Since SFs are non‐profit businesses, they often reinvest their profits in the improvement of working conditions. SFs offer various types of work accommodations and natural support, such as support from stakeholders, supervisors and co‐workers, training and flexible working hours (Corbière & Lecomte, ; Corbière et al, , accepted; Corbière et al, ; Villotti, Corbiere, et al, ). They provide an opportunity to perform a meaningful activity in an inclusive social environment with low levels of stigma (Villotti, Corbière, et al, ), thus favouring the development of skills, employability, a higher self‐reliance and self‐esteem (Roy, Donaldson, Baker, & Kerr, ; Svanberg, Gumley, & Wilson, ).…”

“…In Québec, some SFs receive a wage subsidy from the federal and the provincial governments (Garon, Paquet, & Simard, ). These subsidies are intended to support employers in the effort and investment they make in order to promote accommodations for people with disabilities (Corbière et al, , accepted). Seen from another viewpoint within the framework of public subsidies and social transfer system, the expenses devoted to mental health by the Québec public health system are high: they amounted to $1.072 billion Canadian dollars in 2009–2010 (Commissaire à la Santé et au Bien‐Etre, ), which corresponds to approximately 3.5% of the total public health and social services budget.…”