Purpose. This study investigates factors that will affect the chances of long-term sick workers returning to work. Method. The study is based on a representative sample of persons with mental illnesses and musculoskeletal disorders who received a rehabilitation allowance in Norway in 2002. Their occupational status in 2005 and experiences from the rehabilitation process were charted through their responses to a questionnaire in combination with national register data. Our analytical framework is based on three domains: the medical domain, the domain of authoritative bodies and the production domain (working life), as described by Lindqvist (Att sätta gränser: organisationer och reformer i arbetsrehabiliteringen. Umeå: Boréa; 2000). Results. Our main findings are that earlier work experience, age and other members in household, in addition, to influence over one's own rehabilitation process explains whether workers on long-term sick leave return to work. Furthermore, individual factors such as gender and diagnosis (i.e. musculoskeletal disorder and mental illness) do not explain the probability to return to work. Experience and contact with representatives of the medical, the authoritative bodies and the production domain only explain to a small extent the probability to return to work. It is even interesting to note that regular contact with the social insurance office (SIO) has a negative effect on the probability to return to work. This may indicate that contact with the SIO subjects sick workers to a risk of developing a ‘social insurance career’ to secure their income. Conclusions. The findings show that the medical, the authoritative bodies and the production domain might represent different logics that can pull a sick worker in different directions during the rehabilitation process. However, these different logics do not fully explain, which outcome a rehabilitation process takes. It is important to extend the analysis to include how the individuals respond to these logics during the rehabilitation process.

There is a growing understanding that mental health problems and prolonged contact with mental healthcare systems can affect people's identities. Working with identity is an important element in mental health recovery. In this article, we explore the significance of participation in a music and theatre workshop in terms of people`s experiences of identity. This is a qualitative study based on a hermeneutical phenomenological epistemology. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with 11 participants at a music and theater workshop, analysed through a narrative analysis and presented in an ideographical "long" narrative form. The music and theater workshop is not overtly therapeutic although the activity takes place in a Norwegian mental health hospital for adults living with long-term mental health problems. We identified three crosscutting themes: (1) becoming a whole person, (2) being allowed to hold multiple identities and (3) exploring diverse perspectives. Findings show that participation in the music and theatre workshop transformed the participants' experiences of identity on two levels: individually and collectively. The participants developed a broader picture of themselves through their creative work with others. When they developed new identities, the narratives of themselves expanded.

Purpose: Small-scale enterprises (SSEs) are important for sustainable development in Europe and account for a significant proportion of private enterprises and their large contribution to employment. The purpose of this paper is to explore workplace health management (WHM) from the perspective of managers in SSEs in Norway and Sweden. Design/methodology/approach: In-depth interviews with 18 managers in SSEs were conducted and a stepwise qualitative analysis was used. Findings: The findings are presented as two main patterns: inter-organisational dynamics and participative leadership. Managers discussed opportunities for WHM to foster solidarity and flexibility in the workplace, the potential of employees for self-governance and a cultural environment at the workplace characterized by safety, trust, care, loyalty and humour. The managers employed a process-oriented communicator style, were all-rounders, and demonstrated dedicated and distinct management. Managers in SSEs were lone problem solvers and experienced high and conflicting work demands and work-family conflicts. Research limitations/implications: The findings should be interpreted with caution concerning representation of SSEs generally. The enterprises were recruited from an intervention project focussing on WHM and might, therefore, have a positive attitude. Practical implications: The managers obtain recommended information about what to do and how to address WHM in SSEs. Originality/value: This study adds important knowledge regarding the preconditions for creating health promoting workplaces in SSEs, an area for which limited research exists. The findings provide insights and knowledge about managers’ possibilities and obstacles in WHM. The findings could be transferrable to management in similar contexts if managers develop more awareness and knowledge.

The increasing prevalence of chronic conditions and impairments in the population is putting new demands on health and rehabilitation services. Research on self-help groups suggest that participati...

Small-scale enterprises (SSEs) are important for ensuring growth, innovation, job creation, and social integration in working life. Research shows that SSEs pay little attention to and have insufficient competence in workplace health management. From the perspective of managers, this study explores how external factors influence the development of this management. The article refers to a case study among eight Norwegian and ten Swedish managers of SSEs in the middle part of Norway and Sweden. We used a stepwise qualitative approach to analyse data, using an interpretive indexing of main categories. Two main categories were found to have an influence on the development of workplace health management: (1) restricted leeway and (2) commitments. Concerning the first main category, areas that managers highlight as important comprise the legal framework and regulations; workforce and market situation, production, economy; and occupational safety and health issues. Areas related to the second main category were advice from the board, guidance from mentors, work-related networks, and family and friends as buffers. One conclusion is that despite limited scope for developing workplace health management, managers find supportive guidance and inspiration from environments that are committed to helping them and their enterprise.

Background: The response of small business managers to an external event such as the pandemic can have a profound effect on the work environment, health and well-being for themselves and their employees. Previous research on small business managers during the pandemic has mainly focused on traditional pathogenic effects, and there is a lack of studies looking at the issue from a salutogenic health promotion perspective. The aim of this study is to explore whether a sense of coherence and general resistance resources were experienced by small business managers in Sweden and Norway during the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: A qualitative design was applied through exploratory interviews with 16 managers of small businesses in Sweden and Norway. A content analysis of the interviews was conducted using the sense of coherence concept by Aaron Antonovsky, with the three main components of comprehensibility, meaningfulness and manageability acting as a conceptual framework for the analysis process.Results: Within the three main sense-of-coherence categories, six general resistance resources were identified as being important for the managers to handle uncertainty during the pandemic. These were understanding rules and regulations, social support, optimism, proactivity, problem-solving and flexibility and cooperation.Conclusions: The small business managers handled the pandemic in a way that worked well in their contexts, and the pandemic generally did not have a negative effect on their businesses or themselves. A salutogenic approach, through which the managers focused on identifying and using resources, was an important factor for managing stressors and adversity during the pandemic. Hence, the concept of salutogenesis may be used as an intervention to foster better health in small businesses, both at a personal and organisational level in order to handle future challenges effectively.