IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i6p3740-d776161.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Current Practice of Gradual Return to Work in Germany: A Qualitative Study Protocol

Author

Listed:
  • Inga L. Schulz

    (Department 3.5 Evidence Based Occupational Health and Workplace Health Management, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), 10317 Berlin, Germany)

  • Ralf Stegmann

    (Department 3.5 Evidence Based Occupational Health and Workplace Health Management, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), 10317 Berlin, Germany)

  • Uta Wegewitz

    (Department 3.5 Evidence Based Occupational Health and Workplace Health Management, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), 10317 Berlin, Germany)

  • Matthias Bethge

    (Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Luebeck, 23562 Luebeck, Germany)

Abstract

(1) Background: The increase in working age and long-term illnesses is a challenge for society to maintain the health of employees and to support their work participation. In many countries, such as Germany, a gradual return to work (GRTW) is used frequently to support returning employees, but little is known about its facilitators and obstacles. This protocol aims to provide an overview of the national state of the art in workplace adjustments during return to work and to outline the design of a qualitative study examining current GRTW practices in Germany. (2) Methods: Our qualitative study will examine the current implementation of GRTW by means of 32 narrative interviews and 10 group discussions from different perspectives. Therefore, we will ask returning employees as well as organisational stakeholders and external experts about their experiences with GRTW and attitudes towards the measure. The verbal data obtained will be analysed using the documentary method of interpretation. (3) Discussion: This study will reveal facilitating and hindering factors for the implementation of GRTW in Germany. The findings of the study may contribute to an improved implementation of GRTW not only in Germany.

Suggested Citation

  • Inga L. Schulz & Ralf Stegmann & Uta Wegewitz & Matthias Bethge, 2022. "The Current Practice of Gradual Return to Work in Germany: A Qualitative Study Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3740-:d:776161
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3740/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3740/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Høgelund, Jan & Holm, Anders & McIntosh, James, 2010. "Does graded return-to-work improve sick-listed workers' chance of returning to regular working hours?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 158-169, January.
    2. Eva Esteban & Michaela Coenen & Elizabeth Ito & Sonja Gruber & Chiara Scaratti & Matilde Leonardi & Olga Roka & Evdokia Vasilou & Amalia Muñoz-Murillo & Carolina C. Ávila & Dare S. Kovačič & Ivana Iva, 2018. "Views and Experiences of Persons with Chronic Diseases about Strategies that Aim to Integrate and Re-Integrate Them into Work: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-28, May.
    3. Kools, Lieke & Koning, Pierre, 2019. "Graded return-to-work as a stepping stone to full work resumption," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 189-209.
    4. Adrian Loerbroks & Jessica Scharf & Peter Angerer & Katja Spanier & Matthias Bethge, 2021. "The Prevalence and Determinants of Being Offered and Accepting Operational Management Services—A Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-12, February.
    5. Aileen Hoge & Anna T. Ehmann & Monika A. Rieger & Achim Siegel, 2019. "Caring for Workers’ Health: Do German Employers Follow a Comprehensive Approach Similar to the Total Worker Health Concept? Results of a Survey in an Economically Powerful Region in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rehwald, Kai & Rosholm, Michael & Rouland, Bénédicte, 2018. "Labour market effects of activating sick-listed workers," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 15-32.
    2. Carla Sabariego & Michaela Coenen & Elizabeth Ito & Klemens Fheodoroff & Chiara Scaratti & Matilde Leonardi & Anastasia Vlachou & Panayiota Stavroussi & Valentina Brecelj & Dare S. Kovačič & Eva Esteb, 2018. "Effectiveness of Integration and Re-Integration into Work Strategies for Persons with Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review of European Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-34, March.
    3. Christine Mayrhuber & Benjamin Bittschi, 2021. "Fehlzeitenreport 2021. Krankheits- und unfallbedingte Fehlzeiten in Österreich – Frühintervention, Wiedereingliederung und mentale Gesundheit," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 68042, April.
    4. Røed, Knut, 2012. "Active Unemployment Insurance," IZA Policy Papers 41, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Pons Rotger, Gabriel & Rosholm, Michael, 2020. "The Role of Beliefs in Long Sickness Absence: Experimental Evidence from a Psychological Intervention," IZA Discussion Papers 13582, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Nicola Magnavita, 2023. "Workplace Health Promotion Embedded in Medical Surveillance: The Italian Way to Total Worker Health Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-11, February.
    7. Kools, Lieke & Koning, Pierre, 2019. "Graded return-to-work as a stepping stone to full work resumption," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 189-209.
    8. Hernæs, Øystein, 2018. "Activation against absenteeism – Evidence from a sickness insurance reform in Norway," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 60-68.
    9. Martina Michaelis & Christine Preiser & Susanne Voelter-Mahlknecht & Nicole Blomberg & Monika A. Rieger, 2022. "Uptake of Voluntary Occupational Health Care—Assessments of German Occupational Health Physicians and Employees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-22, August.
    10. T. Everhardt & Ph. Jong, 2011. "Return to Work After Long Term Sickness," De Economist, Springer, vol. 159(3), pages 361-380, September.
    11. Rainer Eppel & Thomas Leoni & Helmut Mahringer, 2016. "Österreich 2025 – Gesundheit und Beschäftigungsfähigkeit. Status quo, internationale Erfahrungen und Reformperspektiven," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58794, February.
    12. Johansson, Per & Lee, Myoung-jae, 2016. "On Nonparametric Identification of Treatment Effects in Duration Models," IZA Discussion Papers 10247, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Andrén, Daniela, 2011. ""Half empty or half full": The importance of the definition of part-time sick leave when estimating its effects," Working Papers 2011:4, Örebro University, School of Business.
    14. Beomsoo Kim & Christopher J. Ruhm, 2012. "Inheritances, health and death," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(2), pages 127-144, February.
    15. Markussen, Simen & Mykletun, Arnstein & Røed, Knut, 2012. "The case for presenteeism — Evidence from Norway's sickness insurance program," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(11), pages 959-972.
    16. De Graaf-Zijl, Marloes & Spijkerman, Marcel & Zwinkels, Wim, 2020. "Long-Term Effects of Individual Placement and Support Services for Disability Benefits Recipients with Severe Mental Illnesses," IZA Discussion Papers 13772, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Bruce Headey & Ruud Muffels, 2016. "Towards a Theory of Life Satisfaction: Accounting for Stability, Change and Volatility in 25-Year Life Trajectories in Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 864, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    18. Datta Gupta Nabanita & Lau Daniel & Pozzoli Dario, 2016. "The Impact of Education and Occupation on Temporary and Permanent Work Incapacity," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 16(2), pages 577-617, April.
    19. Schneider, Udo & Linder, Roland & Verheyen, Frank, 2016. "Long-term sick leave and graded return to work: What do we know about the follow-up effects?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(10), pages 1193-1201.
    20. Amanda Gaulke, 2021. "Individual and family labor market impacts of chronic diseases," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 482-482, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3740-:d:776161. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.