Employer Guides: Improving job opportunities and job retention for people with mental health issues Angelika Schafft Work Research Institute, Oslo

Employer engagement Is an essential part of the Supported Employment process Shall improve job retention of employees How to provide a kind of on-the-job support that takes into account both supported employees’ and employers’ needs Job coaches are aiming to support the employee They are seldom aiming at preventing absenteeism and promoting general health at the work place © 2013 Angelika Schafft

The big challenge for SE: Job retention © 2013 Angelika Schafft The issue of job retention is equally important for “ordinary employees” who get sick while they are employed as it is for the SE-clients On-the-job support shall secure job retention But how? – Unlimited access to a job coach? – Natural support?

Particularly challenging: Mental health issues People are at risk of losing their jobs when they develop mental health problems There is a lot of uncertainty and lack of knowledge about mental health issues among employers © 2013 Angelika Schafft

© The Three partite Agreement on a More Inclusive Working Life (IA agreement) Reduction of sick leave Increasing labour market inclusion and job retention, Increasing the average period during which people over age 50 are actively employed NAV Inclusive Workplace Support Centre – There is a NAV Inclusive Workplace Support Centre in each county. They are a resource centre and centre of excellence and organize seminars on work and mental health and can provide assistance in difficult individual cases. The National Strategy for Work and Mental Health ( ). Background: Policy framework

Employer guides - a pilot project ( ) © 2013 Angelika Schafft Allocated in seven Inclusive Worklife support centres Employer guides provide: Expertise and guidance to managers/employers about how to communicate with employees struggling with mental health conditions Expertise on how to facilitate work, with focus on employability Educational programs/courses on mental health problems, tools, methods and measures to improve mental health at work Knowledge about relevant policies and tools available from National labour and welfare administration Help to create safety and “headroom” at the workplace for those who struggle Employer guides have specific competencies and a role which has been lacking, both within enterprises and within the vocational support system.

Model for Work and mental health in enterprises The indicated level Target group: Individuals who have absences / are sick and people who have been long time outside the workforce. The selected level: Target group: Those who are at risk of becoming sick The goal: Prevent absenteeism/ sick leave and exclusion The universal level: Target group: all in the business The goal: Promoting good mental health © 2010 G-E Åsgren

Appreciative inquiry approach Zandee & Cooperrider (2008) Definition: What do we want to achieve? Discovery: What is it that works well? Dream: What can we achieve? Design: What shall we change? New routines Delivery: How to continue in the desired direction

Example: Phases of a typical conversation (AI-oriented) Phase 1: Startup Defining problems and aims of the conversation. Phase 2: Exploration and information Information, establishing a common understanding of the challenges and experiences Phase 3: Measures Discussing measures - often at all levels within the organization, risk factors and preventive measures. Phase 4: Summary Clarification of the first step and if the aim of the conversation is achieved. Follow-up: Observing at different times, assuming that there is an opportunity of taking action before the situation is hopeless - and that this opportunity then should be taken © 2013 Angelika Schafft

Additional resources © 2013 Angelika Schafft Employer Guides have developed courses on work and mental health for businesses (managers, union representatives, and HSE-delegates). – “See you tomorrow!” – “Coping with depression” (KiD) Centre for Work Proficiency A variety of services through NAV and the health service The employment relations helpline

What makes the difference? © 2013 Angelika Schafft Traditional supported employment schemes recognize on-the-job support as support primarily oriented to help employees keeping their job Employer guides recognize on-the-job- support primarily as support that enables employers to keep their employees

Employers’ experiences with E G 254 employers who got assistance from an EG participated in a survey 73% of them are positive about employing someone with mental health problems 80% say they have improved their ability to – employ a person with mental health problems, – deal with employees who are struggling mentally – prepare and conduct the conversation with an employee who is struggling mentally © 2013 Angelika Schafft

In-house results Employers guides provided a type of assistance that comprised more than individual cases Employers and human resource professionals gained knowledge about mental health in the workplace and tools they could use in their leadership role. The results of interventions were created through employers interaction with an employer guide. Employer guides have moved the focus of attention from diagnoses and diseases towards specific methodology of guidance and empowerment – help to self help © 2013 Angelika Schafft

Employer guides have developed feasible strategies for job retention © 2013 Angelika Schafft Employer engagement  Employer empowerment A comprehensive perspective on work and mental health Important core competencies: – Work and mental health – Methods of guidance and counselling – Social organisation and business leadership – HR-management – The welfare and health system (tools and requirements)

References Hand & Tryssenaar (2006). "Small business employers' views on hiring individuals with mental illness." Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 29(3): Peck & Kirkbride (2001). "Why businesses don't employ people with disabilities." Journal of vocational rehabilitation 16(2): Schafft (2009). Å få seg en jobb. Arbeidsrettet rehabilitering ved psykiske helseproblemer. Oslo: Kommuneforlaget. Schafft (2007). "Ansettelse av personer med psykiske lidelser i ordinære bedrifter - Vi må forstå arbeidsgivernes grunner." Tidsskrift for psykisk helsearbeid 4(3): Schafft, Brøgger & Spjelkavik (2012). Arbeidsgiverlos –lederstøtte i arbeid med psykisk helse på arbeidsplassen - Evaluering av pilotprosjekt. Oslo: Arbeidsforskningsinstituttet Spjelkavik (2011). Supported Employment i Norden. Rapport Oslo: Arbeidsforskningsinstituttet Zandee & Cooperrider (2008). Appreciable Worlds, Inspired Inquiry. I: Reason & Bardbury (eds). The Sage Handbook of Action Research. Participatory Inquiry and Practice. London, Second edition. Sage Publications © 2013 Angelika Schafft