Experiences of workers with long-term disabilities on employer support throughout the RTW process in The Netherlands: a qualitative study

Purpose: The aim of this qualitative study was to explore ways that employer support influenced successful return to work (RTW) in workers with disabilities.

Methods: We conducted a semi-structured interview study among 27 workers with disabilities in the Netherlands who received a partial disability benefit two years after sick leave and who continued working in paid (part-time) employment after a period of long-term sickness absence (> 2 years). We analyzed data by means of thematic analysis.

Results: We identified four types of employer support that were experienced as factors of successful RTW: 1. Supervisor accessibility; 2. Supervisor engagement; 3. Supervisor strategies; and 4. Supervisor-initiated work accommodations. More specifically, during the preparations for RTW phase, the supervisor’s active role involved having a positive and open attitude toward facilitating RTW; during the initial RTW phase, the supervisor’s role involved being creative in finding solutions for work accommodations; and during the sustained RTW phase, the supervisor’s role included helping workers who still needed changes in their work situations.

Conclusion: The elements of successful employer support reveals that the pressure on the shoulders of the supervisor is high. Future research should further investigate whether supervisors need more phase-specific training from their organization.