Contextual issues for vocational placement coordinators: some preliminary findings

While vocational placement is seen as an important component of the rehabilitation process, the experience of being a vocational placement officer has not been well documented in New Zealand. In the present study, previously developed and validated measures of occupational stress (defined as responsibility pressure, quality concern, role conflict, and job vs non-job conflict) and general life satisfaction were completed by 16 vocational placement officers employed by the Accident Compensation Corporation. Subjects also completed two open-ended questions assessing significant stresses in their work and strategies whereby stress could be reduced. There were high negative correlations between job stress and life satisfaction, and subjects reported particularly high levels of role conflict in their work. Open-ended stresses identified by subjects included: time pressure/workload problems; difficulties with negative societal and employer attitudes to disability; problems with clients, and; personal motivation problems. Most strategies for stress reduction that were identified were concerned with creating more effective communication and decision making processes in the organizational environment. Problems and limitations of the present study are addressed and future research directions are identified.