1. Working with a disability
Strategies of satisfied employees with a disability
Brigitte van Lierop
DISWORKS

2. What makes the employee with a disability a satisfied employee?
And what does this mean for those who are working with the employee with a disability?

3. What are the action strategies applied by employees with disabilities in the work situation to counterbalance as much as possible the negative effects of their disabilities on their jobs?

4. A Study 1197 employees with a long lasting disability Employees with 1
Psychological ‘diseases’ 22%
Psychiatric ‘diseases’ %
Non specific low back pain 34%
Traumatic Brain Injury %
Hart diseases %
Physical ‘diseases’ %
Visual impairment %
Hearing impairment %
Chronic disease 18%
Other %
1 more than one ‘disease’

5. Some characteristics of respondents
Level of Educationns
Primary Education %
Secundary or Higher Education 46% (2% unknown)

6. A model Occupational performance
A person’s meaningful actions and functioning in work, self-care, leisure and other life areas
Person
Occupation
Environment
Figuur 2.2: Het Person-Environment-Occupation model

7. The PEO model
“Occupational performance” is the result of the interaction between the individual, the environment and the activities.
As the circles show more overlap, the balance between the three components will increase, thus implying a positive balance between individual, environment and activity
Problems occur when there is a mismatch between the person, the environment and the activities
Strategies focussing on the person, the environment and the activities that need to be carried out, restore the balance

8. Level of Satisfaction Average score on a scale of 0 – 10: 7,3 TBI 7,5
Hart diseases 7,5
Physical complaints 7,4
Chronic diseases 7,4
Non specific low back pain 7,3
Other 7,3
Hearing impairment 7,1
Visual impairment 7,0
Psychological ‘diseases’ 6,9
Psychiatric ‘diseases’ 6,9

9. Satisfaction in work and ….
Gender differences:
Men 7,3
Women 7,3
Age:
Young ,7*
Middle ,3
Elder > ,2

10. Characteristics of work and differences between Very Satisfied, Average Satisfied and Dissatisfied Employees
Amount of working hours no difference
Mentally stressfull work no difference
High level of diversity in work
Very satisfied employees experience more diversity in work compare to average satisfied employees
Average satisfied employees experience more diversity in work compared to unsatisfied employees
Physically demanding work
Very satisfied employees report less physically demanding work compared to unsatisfied employees

11. Differences between Very Satisfied, Average Satisfied and Dissatisfied EmployeesUS AS VS
Individual problem solving m
Acting immediately
Being assertive
Personal decision making how to solve problems
Staying positive and just continue
Purposely avoiding specific tasks
Personal decision making where to stop
Saying No easily
Asking easily for support of colleagues
Asking easily for support of supervisor

12. Differences between Very Satisfied, Average Satisfied and Dissatisfied EmployeesOT GT ZT
I receive social support of my colleagues m
I receive social support of my supervisor
I receive understanding of my colleagues
I receive understanding of my supervisor
I have a certain amount of freedom in choosing my tasks
I have a certain amount of freedom in choosing my working hours

13. Theory into Practice What can I do? What can others do for me?
If I experience problems in my work because of my disabilities?
If I cannot meet the requirements of my work because of my disability?
To carry out my work adequately, having this disability?
To minimise the impact of my disability on my functioning in the work place?
What can others do for me?

14. But what makes me feel more satisfied in my work?
I can do a lot
But what makes me feel more satisfied in my work?

15. Connection1 between my behavior and my level of satisfaction**
Top seven!
I take care of a motivated and optimistic attitude
I focus on reaching my working goals
I take care of a diversity in tasks
I stay positve and try to keep on going
I eliminate negative thougts as much as possible
I discuss problems I encounter with my supervisor
I act immediately
1 Only significante correlations > 0,2

16. Connection 1 between behavior of others towards me and my level of satisfaction**
Top eight!
My supervisor understands me
My supervisor provides me with social support
My work is divers
My colleagues and supervisor act flexible towards me
I receive a certain amount of freedom in choosing my work tasks
My supervisor supports me
My colleagues understand me
My colleagues provide with social support
1 Only significant correlations > 0,2

17. And… Items related to adaptations in the workplace were of no influence on the level of satisfaction for workers with a disability

18. Explained Variance and satisfaction
33% of the level of satisfaction is determined by:
The understanding the employee receives from his supervisor
The offer in diversity of the work load
The motivated and optimistic attitude of the employee
And the fact that the employee is able to attain his working goals

19. A satisfied employee with a disability, is an employee
who experiences the understanding of his supervisor
Who has enough diversity in working tasks
who is motivated and optimistic
who is able to attain his working goals

20. The balance related to the satisfied worker with a disability
The person:
Optimistic and
Motivated
The environment:
Understanding of Supervisor
Work:
Adequate diversity in tasks
Work that fits to the employee

21. The balance for a satisfied employee with a disability
De persoon:
Optimisch en gemotiveerd
Het werk:
Voldoende afwisseling
Werk binnen mogelijkheden