Factors promoting a successful return to work: from an employer and employee perspective

Efforts have been made to explain the inability to return to work (RTW) due to employees' chronic musculoskeletal pain. Knowledge of factors facilitating the RTW process is however still limited. Based on the experiences of employees and employers, this study aims to identify factors promoting a successful return process for persons with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

The findings from interviews, involving six employees with musculoskeletal pain, and five employers with various work experience, were analysed by Giorgi's phenomenological analysis through four stages.

The major themes underlying the employees' comments for a successful RTW were identifying and mobilizing their personal resources, adapting a balanced daily life, and requiring a positive dialogue with family and their employer, while the employers underlined the need for a helpful adjustment at work and how they wanted to become more involved in the rehabilitation process.

In conclusion our findings underline the need for extended collaboration between the employees, employer, and rehabilitation staff, and should encourage occupational therapists to direct even more of their expertise towards the situation at the workplace.