Workplace Health Understandings and Processes in Small Businesses: A Systematic Review of the Qualitative Literature

MacEachen, Ellen; Kosny, Agnieszka; Scott-Dixon, Krista; Facey, Marcia; Chambers, Lori; Breslin, Curtis; Kyle, Natasha; Irvin, Emma; Mahood, Quenby

doi:10.1007/s10926-009-9227-7

Cited by 92 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…This production-oriented perspective on work ability became apparent when economic goals and costs were stressed as factors that influenced employers" ability to make accommodations. These findings are in accordance with other studies that underline employers" cost concerns regarding return to work measures or hiring people with disabilities [29][30]. Meanwhile, previous research shows a relation between company size and the presence of return to work measures.…”

Section: Employers' Impact On Work Abilitysupporting

confidence: 92%

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

et al. 2012

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PurposeIn welfare policy and practical work it is unclear what the concept of work ability involves and assessments may be different among involved actors, partly due to a lack of theoretical research in relation to regulations and practice. Based on theoretical and legal aspects of work ability the aim of the study is to analyze stakeholders" perspectives on work ability in local practice by studying multi-stakeholder meetings. MethodsThe material comprises nine digitally recorded multi-stakeholder meetings. Apart from the sick-listed individual, representatives from the public Social Insurance Agency, health care, employers, public employment service and the union participated in the meeting. The material was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. ResultsThree perspectives on work ability were identified: a medical perspective, a workplace perspective and a regulatory perspective. The meetings developed into negotiations of responsibility concerning workplace adjustments, rehabilitation efforts and financial support.Medical assessments served as objective expert statements to legitimize stakeholders" perspectives on work ability and return to work. ConclusionsAlthough the formal goal of the status meeting was to facilitate stakeholder collaboration, the results demonstrates an unequal distribution of power among cooperating actors where the employers had the "trump card" due to their possibilities to offer workplace adjustments. The employer perspective often determined whether or not persons could return to work and if they had work ability.

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Section: Employers' Impact On Work Abilitysupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Indeed, a lack of health and safety resources and a lack of clear local policies for managing early return to work can result in solutions based on expense avoidance rather than on work rehabilitation. Employers tend to focus on their own business and production logic [29].…”

Section: Employers' Impact On Work Abilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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

et al. 2012

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“…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%

“…Furthermore, the need for early contact and regular communication between supervisor and sick-listed employee, as well as multi-stakeholder collaboration is highlighted [11][12][13][14]. Research has also shown that lack of clear local policies for managing early return to work may result in solutions based on expense avoidance rather than on rehabilitation to work when employers tend to focus on their own business and production logic [19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

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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

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“…WHM is rarely addressed in small business research [17][18][19][20]. WHM is crucial for improvements in psychosocial working conditions and health [21], but few studies explore the challenges SSEs experience regarding these issues and which contextual factors can contribute to improvements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ambiguity among Managers in Small-Scale Enterprises: How to Handle Business and Workplace Health Management

et al. 2017

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Despite extensive research on health in working life, few studies focus on this issue from the perspective of managers in small-scale enterprises (SSEs). To gain deeper knowledge of managers' perceptions and strategies for dealing with workplace health management, 13 Norwegian and Swedish SSE managers were interviewed after participating in a workplace health development project. The methodical approach was based on Grounded Theory with a constructivist orientation. The main theme that emerged was 'ambiguity in workplace health management and maintaining the business', which was related to the categories 'internal workplace settings', 'workplace surroundings', and 'leadership strategies'. The managers experienced ambiguity due to internal and external demands. These requirements were linked to the core challenges in dealing with multitasking leadership, financial decision-making, labour legislation, staff development and maintaining business. However, the managers developed new skills and competence and thereby a more reflexive approach and readiness to create a health-promoting workplace from being part of a development project. The implications are that managers in SSEs need to exchange experiences and discuss workplace health issues with other managers in networks. It is also important that occupational health services and social and welfare organizations use tailor-made models and strategies for supporting SSEs.

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Workplace Health Understandings and Processes in Small Businesses: A Systematic Review of the Qualitative Literature

Cited by 92 publications

References 40 publications

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

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

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

Ambiguity among Managers in Small-Scale Enterprises: How to Handle Business and Workplace Health Management

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