Differences in perceived return-to-work barriers between manual and nonmanual workers.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Workforce Psychology

Background:

• Return-to-work (RTW) support is a key occupational health priority.
• Manual laborers, comprising over half the global workforce, experience unique RTW challenges due to job demands.
• Limited quantitative research exists comparing RTW barriers between manual and non-manual workers with chronic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively compare perceived RTW barriers between manual and non-manual workers with chronic conditions.
• To identify specific barriers faced by manual workers to inform tailored RTW support strategies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 219 employed adults attending hospital consultations for work-medical treatment balance.
• Assessment of perceived RTW barriers using a validated 10-category checklist.
• Logistic regression to compare barriers between manual and non-manual workers.

Main Results:

• Manual workers reported significantly higher psychological impact (OR=2.34) and workplace system (OR=2.88) barriers.
• Work ability was the most frequent RTW barrier for both groups, with no significant difference by job type.
• Specific barriers included personal (work ability, psychological, health literacy), workplace (structure, system, support), and inter-sectoral/social factors.

Conclusions:

• Manual workers' RTW difficulties are significantly influenced by psychological and organizational factors.
• RTW programs should prioritize assessing psychological readiness and providing managerial training to address worker confidence.
• Job-specific accommodations, including phased tasks and ergonomic adjustments, are vital for successful RTW in manual occupations.