Work accommodations (Organizational factor for workers with an MSD)

Interpretation of the “Work accommodations” factor

Work accommodations have a positive influence on RTW or sickness absence duration.

Definition of the “Work accommodations” factor

Short definition: Work accommodations are changes made in a workplace for the purpose of narrowing the gap between an employee’s reduced capacities and the demands of his or her job (Durand, Corbiere, Coutu, Reinharz et Albert, 2014).

To find out more:

Work accommodations positively influence RTW in workers with an MSD (Franche et al., 2007; Hogg-Johnson et Cole, 2003; Iles, Sheehan et Gosling, 2020; Turner et al., 2008). Work accommodations are reasonable and feasible measures taken by the employer or other players in the organization, with the aim of facilitating the RTW. These measures may be the consequence of the employer’s legal duty to accommodate, or they may be minor adjustments or natural supports that do not refer to the legal aspect of the term. They have more to do with the work context, job content and interpersonal relations at work (Negrini et al., 2020).

Work accommodations can be temporary or permanent, depending on the employee’s needs (Kwan et Schultz, 2014). They may be applied when physical or mental health problems are present (McDowell et Fossey, 2015).  These measures relate more to the work context (e.g.: work schedule, specialized equipment available to the employee), work content (e.g.: physical load to be lifted, duration of prolonged standing periods), and interpersonal relationships at work (e.g.: social support from manager and colleagues) (Negrini et al., 2020). Assigning the employee to a different position is another example of a measure that can be implemented (Shaw et al., 2014).  Accommodations can be planned with the employee even before his or her RTW, a collaborative approach enabling workers to understand the chosen accommodations and negotiate adjustments where necessary (Williams-Whitt, 2007). They also involve follow-up to ensure that working conditions are properly adjusted (Durand et al., 2014).

Durand, M. J., Corbiere, M., Coutu, M. F., Reinharz, D. et Albert, V. (2014). A review of best work-absence management and return-to-work practices for workers with musculoskeletal or common mental disorders. Work, 48(4), 579-589. doi: 10.3233/WOR-141914

Franche, R.-L., Severin, C. N., Hogg-Johnson, S., Côté, P., Vidmar, M. et Lee, H. (2007). The impact of early workplace-based return-to-work strategies on work absence duration: a 6-month longitudinal study following an occupational musculoskeletal injury. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 49(9), 960-974. doi: 10.1097/jom.0b013e31814b2e9f

Hogg-Johnson, S. et Cole, D. (2003). Early prognostic factors for duration on temporary total benefits in the first year among workers with compensated occupational soft tissue injuries. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 60(4), 244-253. Tiré de

Iles, R. A., Sheehan, L. R. et Gosling, C. M. (2020). Assessment of a new tool to improve case manager identification of delayed return to work in the first two weeks of a workers’ compensation claim. Clin Rehabil, 34(5), 656-666. doi: 10.1177/0269215520911417

Kwan, H. C. et Schultz, I. Z. (2014). Work accommodation in musculoskeletal disorders: Current challenges and future directions in research and practice. Handbook of musculoskeletal pain and disability disorders in the workplace 417-430.

McDowell, C. et Fossey, E. (2015). Workplace accommodations for people with mental illness: a scoping review. J Occup Rehabil, 25(1), 197-206. doi: 10.1007/s10926-014-9512-y

Negrini, A., Corbière, M., Dubé, J., Gragnano, A., Busque, M.-A., Lebeau, M., . . . Vila Masse, S. (2020). Quels sont les déterminants du retour au travail durable des travailleurs seniors ayant subi une lésion psychologique ou physique? (Rapport n^o R-1116). Montréal, Canada:

Shaw, W. S., Kristman, V. L., Williams-Whitt, K., Soklaridis, S., Huang, Y. H., Cote, P. et Loisel, P. (2014). The Job Accommodation Scale (JAS): psychometric evaluation of a new measure of employer support for temporary job modifications. J Occup Rehabil, 24(4), 755-765. doi: 10.1007/s10926-014-9508-7

Turner, J. A., Franklin, G., Fulton-Kehoe, D., Sheppard, L., Stover, B., Wu, R., . . . Wickizer, T. M. (2008). ISSLS prize winner: early predictors of chronic work disability: a prospective, population-based study of workers with back injuries. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 33(25), 2809-2818. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e31817df7a7

Williams-Whitt, K. (2007). Impediments to Disability Accommodation. Relations industrielles, 62(3), 405-432. doi: 10.7202/016487ar

Tools for measuring the “Work accommodations” factor