Why was this study done?
People living with a disabling health condition face many different challenges at work. The research to date on the work impacts of these health conditions tends to focus on two outcomes: absenteeism (not being present for scheduled work) and presenteeism (being at work but less productive).
This study set out to measure four work impacts that are less studied but that can be experienced by people working with disabling conditions. These are: 1) being late for work or having to leave work early; 2) not taking on additional work responsibilities; 3) passing up on job promotions or job transfers; and 4) not being able to work preferred schedules or shifts.
The study also used modelling to examine whether having flexible work schedules or modified work would be expected to diminish the impact of the four types of job disruptions.
How was the study done?
The study was based on an email questionnaire completed by 955 individuals across Canada in the spring of 2020. Participants had to be at least 18 years, working at least three months in the previous year, and working for at least for 12 hours a week. Participants also had to have a health condition that caused limitations at work (i.e., a disability) at least some of the time. The sample recruited for the study reported a range of physical health conditions (42 per cent), mental health conditions (33 per cent) or both types of conditions (25 per cent).
The survey asked participants about the four types of job disruptions listed above. They were also asked whether they needed two types of workplace accommodation: 1) workplace flexibility (flexible schedules, work-from-home options) or 2) modified job duties and/or workstation adaptations. For each of these two types of accommodations, participants were asked whether their needs were met or not met. Using statistical modelling, the research team estimated the difference that having support needs met would be expected to make on the four types of job disruptions.
What did the researchers find?
Job disruptions were common among participants. Lost time (for example, arriving late or having to leave early) was reported by half of study participants (51 per cent). Not being able to take on extra work and not being able to work a preferred schedule or shift were each reported by 21 per cent of participants. And 15 per cent reported not being able to seek a promotion or job transfer.
When asked about support needs, over half of participants said they needed workplace flexibility and that their needs were met at their organization. About a third of participants (32 per cent) said their workplace flexibility needs were unmet. When it came to job modifications, 40 per cent said they needed this support and their needs were met. About 34 per cent said their job modification needs were not met.
Based on statistical modelling, the study found that having modified work supports needs met was expected to result in a 7.7 per cent decrease in lost work time. However, having needs met for greater work flexibility was expected to result in a 9.9 per cent increase in lost work time.
No associations were found for the other types of job disruptions. That is, having more work flexibility or getting modified work was not expected to make a difference to whether people with disabling conditions worked their preferred schedule, took on extra projects and responsibilities, or sought promotions or job transfers.
What are the implications of the study?
Providing job modifications to workers with disabilities may help to reduce the time they take off from work due to personal needs. Providing work flexibility may be linked to a rise, not a fall, in lost time. More research needs to be conducted, but this may be because having work flexibility enables people to use work time to address their personal needs (for example by going to medical appointments during work hours). Ultimately, this may allow people to get the care they need and sustain their ability to work in the long-term.
The two forms workplace supports studied were not associated with a worker’s ability to take on extra projects or responsibilities, work a preferred shift or schedule or seek a promotion or job transfer opportunity. Additional research is needed to understand what supports may make a difference to these types of job disruptions, and how. For example, a more supportive workplace culture that recognizes and aims to proactively prevent and manage workplace limitations, as well as training opportunities to enhance skills for people with disabilities, could be explored as potential additional support mechanisms.
What are some strengths and weaknesses of the study?
A strength of the study was its use of a large, diverse sample of workers with chronic conditions. It also examined job disruptions, which have often been omitted in research about workers living with a disability. Another strength was its use of several validated measures of work support and disability. A weakness of the study was the low rate of response to the invitation to complete the survey. This response rate, which could be due to email recipients’ sense that they did not meet the study criteria, limited the ability of the research team to generalize the findings to the population at large. Also, future research needs to pay greater attention to a range of different supports and how they may mitigate job disruptions and help workers remain employed.