"Today I felt like my work meant something": A pilot study on job crafting, a coaching-based intervention for people with work limitations and disabilities

A classification of human resource management bundles for the inclusion of vulnerable workers

BACKGROUND

Despite the societal importance to improve understanding of the role of employers in the inclusion of workers with a distance to the labor market, scant knowledge is available on the effectiveness of human resource management (HRM) bundles for the inclusion of vulnerable workers.

OBJECTIVE

This paper studies which HRM bundles are applied by employers that hired people with a distance to the labor market, and to what extent these different bundles of HRM practices are related to employment of workers with specific vulnerabilities, such as people with disabilities or people with a migration background.

METHODS

A latent class analysis of 1,665 inclusive employers was used to identify HRM bundles based on seven HRM practices: financial support practices, specialized recruitment, promotion and career opportunities, training opportunities, part-time work, job crafting, and adaptations to the workplace.

RESULTS

Six bundles were identified: a recruitment and development bundle (34.4% of employers), a development bundle (24.8%), maintenance-focused practices (16.5%), a recruitment bundle (9.4%), a sustainable employment bundle (8.9%), and passive HRM (6.0%). Post-hoc analyses showed the probability of hiring specific vulnerable groups for each bundle (e.g., sustainable employment bundles showed the highest overall probability to hire people with a physical disability).

CONCLUSION

Nuancing what is suggested in strategic HRM literature, we conclude that both extensive HRM and focused HRM bundles can be successful for the employment of vulnerable workers. In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to inclusive employment and employers, large or small, can tailor their HRM systems to include vulnerable workers.

Work limitations as a moderator of the relationship between job crafting and work performance: results from an SEM analysis of cross-sectional survey data

PURPOSE

Job crafting is an incremental, employee-initiated job design process used to achieve a better fit between job demands and worker skills. Persons with work limitations face multiple barriers to optimal work performance. Some persons with work limitations may innately use job crafting as a strategy to achieve better alignment with their job tasks and demands, however the extent to which job crafting may be helpful in improving work performance and engagement is unknown. The purpose of this study is (1) to examine the moderating role of work limitations in the relationship between job crafting and work performance and (2) to understand the complex relationship between job crafting, work limitations, work engagement, work performance, readiness to change, and worker characteristics.

METHODS

We conducted an online survey of workers with and without disabilities (final N = 742) in 2020-2021. Our sample included workers aged 18 and older. Descriptive statistics, bivariate statistics, and Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) were used to assess the relationships among job crafting, work limitations, work engagement, work performance, readiness to change, and worker characteristics.

RESULTS

Work limitation moderates the relationship between job crafting and work performance by weakening the impact of innate job crafting on work performance. Worker characteristics such as education and years of work experience predict crafting behaviors and work engagement mediates the relationship between job crafting and work performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Work limitation weakens the relationship between job crafting and work performance. Workers with limitations may benefit from job crafting interventions to increase work engagement and performance.

Understanding work inclusion: Analysis of the perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities on employment in the Icelandic labor market

BACKGROUND

People with intellectual disabilities experience persistent marginalization in relation to work and employment. The concept of work inclusion provides a way of generating a more specific understanding of the meaning of employment participation. Work inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities focuses not on mere presence, but instead emphasizes relational aspects and potential for meaningful participation.

OBJECTIVE

In this paper we report on an empirical study into the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities of employment participation in the Icelandic labor market. We considered their experiences in relation to four key components of work inclusion, placing emphasis on how they perceived opportunities for inclusion related to social relations, belonging, valued contributions and trust.

METHODS

This study used a qualitative research design. Data was collected with semi-structured interviews with 9 participants with intellectual disabilities who all had experience of being employed in the Icelandic labour market.

RESULTS

Our findings show the role of the work environment in participants' experiences of opportunities for having good relations at work, having a sense of belonging to the organization, being able to make a contribution to the goals of the organization, and receiving trust in one's professional role and responsibility. When participants experienced opportunities in relation to these basic components of work inclusion, they felt more positively about their employment participation. Lack of opportunities was reported as a reason for segregation and withdrawal.

CONCLUSION

This study shows the importance for work organizations and other actors in the labor market of paying attention to components of work inclusion and their relation with corporate culture.

A qualitative study of Singaporean perspectives on returning to work after stroke

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke return-to-work (RTW) rates reported in Singapore ranged between 38% and 55%, indicating challenges in the RTW process among individuals with stroke.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to understand the lived experience of returning to work among individuals with stroke in Singapore.

METHODS

This was a qualitative study using a phenomenological approach. We recruited individuals with stroke who were citizens or permanent residents of Singapore. We conducted semi-structured interviews to collect data on their lived experience of returning to work and analyzed the interview data inductively.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven participants completed the interviews. Their median age was 61 years (interquartile range = 54 - 64). They were mostly male (n = 19, 70.4%) and married (n = 21, 78%). Twenty participants (74%) returned to work after their stroke. Three major themes emerged from the interviews that underpinned the participants' RTW experience. They were i) direct impact of stroke, ii) realignment of life priorities, and iii) engagement with support and resources.

CONCLUSION

RTW after stroke is complex and influenced by personal and environmental factors. Our findings suggest that individuals with stroke need continuing support to overcome stigma and discrimination, to manage expectations of their recovery process, and to better navigate resources during their RTW process in Singapore. We recommend future studies to design and test the feasibility of appropriate interventions based on our proposed strategies to better support individuals with stroke to return to work.

Predictive factors associated with trajectory of job satisfaction of workers with physical disabilities: A latent growth curve analysis

BACKGROUND

Job satisfaction is a highly useful factor in maintaining a successful work life for the disabled.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate how job satisfaction among workers with physical disabilities evolves over time, and to identify predictive factors that influence the trajectory of job satisfaction.

METHODS

A longitudinal data analysis using the three-year databases of the 2016-2018 Employment Panel Survey for the Disabled (n = 693). A latent growth curve model analysis was conducted to determine the trajectory of the job satisfaction among workers with physical disabilities, as well as the predictive factors affecting it.

RESULTS

Job satisfaction among workers with physical disabilities increased over time, and there were substantial individual differences in the trajectory of the job satisfaction. The significant predictors for the job satisfaction over the three years were degree of disability, computer usage ability, employment support services, and experience of discrimination. Gender, educational background, interpersonal relationship/organizational adaptability, convenience facilities for the disabled, job suitability, disability acceptability, and self-esteem had a considerable impact on the intercept of the job satisfaction, but not on the slope.

CONCLUSION

The findings would inform healthcare providers to establish mid-to-long-term vocational rehabilitation intervention plans that could increase the job satisfaction among workers with physical disabilities.

Employment and gender inequalities: Towards a more cohesive and gender-neutral transport sector in Portugal

BACKGROUND

Historically, the transport sector has been male-dominated in all countries, including Portugal. In recent years, Portugal has struggled to balance the proportion of men and women working in the transport sector through policies, programs, and awareness campaigns. In most cases, the overall impact has been rather unsatisfactory, questioning the necessity of introducing other methods and strategies.

OBJECTIVE

The main objectives were to assess the existing gender inequalities in the Portuguese transport sector labour market, identify the causes, and propose guidelines and possible solutions towards a more inclusive and gender-neutral society.

METHODS

Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the methodological background of this research is divided into three main parts: (i) a literature review of academic publications, reports, and laws in the European and Portuguese context, (ii) semi-structured interviews with representatives of two Portuguese transport companies, and (iii) statistical analysis compiling data from European and national official sources.

RESULTS

There is evidence of differences in opportunities between women and men, starting with lower mobility and access to the labour market. Some companies in the sector have already recognised the existence of asymmetries and have introduced policies and measures to reduce them. Nonetheless, the actions already implemented have not led to the expected results.

CONCLUSION

More governmental and institutional attention should be provided to develop gender-neutral employment policies for the transport sector and more accurate gender equality measures and instruments to change the status quo are needed. This paper presents a series of recommendations for better governance of gender inequalities in the Portuguese transport labour market.