Article

Canada has a long tradition of involving employee representatives in
developing work reintegration policies and expects this to positively affect
employee involvement to improve work reintegration success. The purpose of this
study was to examine employee involvement in reintegration in a Canadian province
as experienced by employees. METHOD: Fourteen semi-structured interviews were
held with employees in a healthcare organization. The interview topic list was
based on a review of local reintegration policy documents and literature.
Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using ethnographic methodology.
RESULTS: Employees do not feel in control of their reintegration trajectory. In
the phase of reporting sickness absence, they wrestle with a lack of
understanding on how to report in sick. In the phase of reintegration planning
and coordination, they hesitate to get involved in the organization of
reintegration. In the phase of reintegration plan execution, employees encounter
unfulfilled expectations on interventions. CONCLUSION: Employee involvement in
the organization of reintegration makes them responsible for the development of
reintegration trajectories. However, they consider themselves often incapable of
completing this in practice. Moreover, employees experience that their
contribution can boomerang on them. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: * It is not
that employees are not able to think along or decide on their reintegration
trajectory but rather they are expected to do so at times when they cannot
oversee their illness and/or recovery trajectory. * Settings out reintegration
procedures that are inflexible in practice do not recognize that employee
involvement in work reintegration trajectories can develop over time. * The
disability management professional has a central role in organizing and
supporting employee involvement in work reintegration, however, the employees do
not experience this is indeed happening.

Langue : ANGLAIS