Which managers make which work accommodations for employees with common mental disorders?

Abstract

Abstract Background Work accommodations (WAs) can promote employees' decreased work capacity and work participation. However, little is known about how managers make WAs for employees with common mental disorders (CMD). The aim was to investigate managerial determinants for making WAs for employees with CMD. Methods An online survey was sent to 4,737 Swedish managers, aged 20-65 years (response rate 71%). Only managers who stated having had employees with CMD in the last two years responded to questions on WAs, and were included in this study (n = 1779). The 15 WAs in the survey were condensed to seven WA types using principal component analysis. We calculated odd ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the association of person- (n = 5), knowledge- (n = 2) and work-related (n = 10) determinants in relation to WA types with multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for managers' personal experience of CMD, medical training, treating people with CMD, type of industry and organizational size. Results Greater confidence in how to support employees with CMD was associated with five different WA types, the strongest OR was found for changes in working conditions (OR 1.87 95% CI 1.48 - 2.38). Female manager was associated with three WA types, the strongest OR was found for changes in working conditions (OR 2.09 95% CI 1.60 - 2.73). Managerial training including knowledge about how to support employees with CMD was associated with four WA types, and the strongest OR was found for accommodating work tasks (OR 1.76 95% CI 1.35 -2.28). Only work sector was associated with more than two WA types, where managers in the private sector were less likely to make three WA types. Conclusions Greater confident in how to support these employees, being female, managerial CMD-training and working in the public sector were associated with making WAs more often. The findings suggest directions for training managers in making WAs in order to support and improve work capacity of employees with CMD. Key messages Managers’ confidence in and knowledge about how to support employees with CMD were essential in order to make work accommodations. Work-related factors were less associated than expected. Training managers to accommodate the work of employees with CMD might be effective.