The social interaction of return-to-work explored from co-workers experinces.

• Purpose The objective was to explore the role and contribution of co-workers in the return-to-work process. The social interaction of co-workers and supervisors are analysed within the framework of the Swedish national and local employer organisational return-to-work policies. Methods An exploratory qualitative method was used, consisting of open-ended interviews with 33 workplace actors across seven work units. Organisational return-towork policies were collected from the three public sector employers. Results Three key themes about the return-to-work process emerged during analysis: (1) policies and organizational structure for return to work do not take co-workers into account; (2) return-to-work social demands and expectations interact with broader social interaction and attitudes in the workgroup; (3) supervisory management of return to workis linked to workgroup communication and management. Conclusion An examination of the role of co-workers suggests that the social location matters, and highlights how different return-to-work actors interpret the return-to-work situation differently. Employers and workplaces should consider re-integration of sicklisted workers in the light of workgroup social relations and acknowledge social interaction and the heterogeneous experiences of returning workers, supervisors and coworkers.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Return to work

Sweden

Co-workers

Social relations

Qualitative

Public health medicine research areas

Folkhälsomedicinska forskningsområden

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)