Disability Management Strategies: A preliminary investigation of perceptions, policies and returntow

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Disability Management Strategies A preliminary
investigation of perceptions, policies and
return-to-work outcomes.

• Dr. Henry G. Harder
• harderh_at_unbc.ca
• Gabrielle McHugh

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Canada
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British Columbia
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Objective 1

• To examine the predictive value of employers DM
  perceptions and DM policies in return-to-work
  outcomes for the injured worker

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Objective 2

• To examine factors that influence employers DM
  perceptions, policies, and return-to-work outcomes

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Objective 3

• To examine the relationship between demographic
  factors of the individual and return-to-work
  outcomes

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Method

• Random selection of employers based on the
  listing provided from Workers Compensation Board
  of British Columbia
• Self-administered questionnaire
• Response rate 44

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Questionnaire

• Based on the literature review a questionnaire
  was developed for this project
• Captured primarily -
• company attitudes towards DM (14 items)
• company DM policies (14 items)

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Factor Analysis

• Attitudes towards DM
• Loaded on three interpretable dimensions
  centering on
• Company perception of returning injured workers
• Company commitment to DM
• The impact of DM on absenteeism and job retention

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Factor Analyses

• DM Policies
• Loaded on four interpretable dimensions
• 1. accommodation strategies
• 2. labour-management agreement
• 3. DM practices
• 4. dissemination of DM

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Side note

• Continue to work with this questionnaire
• Exploring whether employees attitudes towards DM
  yield similar factors to those of management
• Benefit identify areas of resistance to DM
  strategies

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Results

• Using regression analyses
• Objective A was supported
• Positive DM perceptions are predictive of
  positive DM policies in the workplace
• Positive DM policies are predictive of favourable
  return-to-work outcomes for injured workers

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Results

• DM perceptions are not singularly predictive of
  return-to-work outcomes for injured workers.

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Results

• Objective B (MANOVA)
• Employer characteristics did not contribute to
• positive perceptions of DM
• The presence of DM policies
• Or outcomes for the injured worker

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Results

• Objective C (ANOVAs)
• Demographic factors contribute to return-to-work
  outcomes for injured workers was not supported

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The Message
perceptions
policies
outcomes
Favourable DM policies are needed in conjunction
with positive perceptions towards DM to impact
outcomes for injured workers
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Future Directions

• Valuable in identifying incongruent attitudes
  towards DM between different levels of an
  organization.
• Such a tool could prove beneficial during regular
  evaluation process of DM programme highlighting
  deficiencies and/or educational needs