Return to work – the workplace as an arena

The research studies conducted focus on the workplace as an arena for measures taken for facilitating return to work. International and national research has not provided a coherent picture of how social relations and early contact affect return-to-work, nor how the workplace actors experience the early contact as a return-to-work measure. The overall aim of the research project is to study to what extent early contact occurs, and if the extent and quality of the social contact between the sick listed worker and the workplace (supervisor and co-workers) affect the length of sickness absence. The hypothesis is that a good early contact leads to earlier return-to-work. Moreover, the research project will explore how the early contact is experienced by key actors who enact the return-to-work process: sick listed worker, co-workers and supervisor, during absence and after return-to-work. Quantitative and qualitative research methods will be used. The research project can provide knowledge about whether or not early contact is a measure that is effective for facilitating return-to-work and if it could prevent long-term sick leave. Moreover, the research project can give an insight to how-, when-, and what a ‘good social contact’ comprises and whether contact is for better or worse for facilitating return-to-work.

Research area
The research conducted aims at generating knowledge about the significance of the workplace in return to work through studies that explores:

• Implementation of return to work interventions at the workplace
• What social relations that takes place within workgroups when a worker re-enters the workplace after sickness absence

The study is supported by AFA.

Publications
Tjulin Å, MacEachen E, Edvardsson Stiwne E, Ekberg K. Exploring the meaning of early contact in return-to-work from workplace actors' perspective. Disability and Rehabilitation, 2011; 33(2): 137-145.

Tjulin Å, MacEachen E, Edvardsson Stiwne E, Ekberg K. The social interaction of return to work explored from co-workers experiences. Disability and Rehabilitation, 2011; Early Online, 1-11.

Tjulin, Å., MacEachen, E. & Ekberg, K. Exploring Workplace Actors Experiences of the Social Organization of Return-to-Work. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation (2010) 20:311-321.