Work disability management in Finnish companies-survey on planning, implementation and evaluation

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Business Management
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Work disability poses significant economic burdens on individuals, businesses, and society.
• Work disability management (WDM) lacks the systematic approach seen in workplace safety initiatives.
• The CSA Z1011 standard provides a framework for systematic WDM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current state of WDM in large and medium-sized Finnish companies.
• To evaluate WDM practices against the Canadian standard, CSA Z1011.
• To identify gaps in strategic and operational WDM implementation.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was distributed to company decision-makers in Finland.
• The survey focused on planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of WDM practices.
• 311 responses were collected, yielding a 24% response rate.

Main Results:

• Operational WDM measures like return-to-work policies and modified work were widely documented and implemented.
• Strategic planning, goal setting, and performance monitoring of WDM were less common.
• Less than half of companies had a shared understanding of WDM goals, and only a third had a written WDM plan.

Conclusions:

• This research is the first to examine Finnish WDM in the context of the CSA Z1011 standard.
• While operational WDM is prevalent, it often lacks goal orientation and strategic integration.
• Finnish companies need to enhance strategic planning and evaluation in their WDM approaches.