Promoting Factors to Stay at Work Among Employees With Common Mental Health Problems: A Multiple-Stakeholder Concept Mapping Study

Most individuals affected by common mental health problems are employed and actually working. To promote stay at work by workplace interventions, it is crucial to understand the factors perceived by various workplace stakeholders, and its relative importance. This concept mapping study therefore explores perspectives of employees with common mental health problems (n = 18), supervisors (n = 17), and occupational health professionals (n = 14). Per stakeholder group, participants were interviewed to generate statements. Next, each participant sorted these statements on relatedness and importance. For each group, a concept map was created, using cluster analysis. Finally, focus group discussions were held to refine the maps. The three concept maps resulted in several clustered ideas that stakeholders had in common, grouped by thematic analysis into the following meta-clusters: (A) Employee’s experience of autonomy in work (employee’s responsibility, freedom to exert control, meaningful work), (B) Supervisor support (being proactive, connected, and involved), (C) Ways to match employee’s capacities to work (job accommodations), (D) Safe social climate in workplace (transparent organizational culture, collective responsibility in teams, collegial support), and (E) professional and organizational support, including collaboration with occupational health professionals. Promoting stay at work is a dynamic process that requires joined efforts by workplace stakeholders, in which more attention is needed to the interpersonal dynamics between employer and employee. Above all, a safe and trustful work environment, in which employee’s autonomy, capacities, and needs are addressed by the supervisor, forms a fundamental base to stay at work.

I Stay-Swedish Specialist Nurses in the Perioperative Context and Their Reasons to Stay at Their Workplace

PURPOSE

To investigate why nurse anesthetists and operating room nurses choose to stay in the same workplace.

DESIGN

Qualitative design.

METHODS

Individual interviews were conducted with 15 nurse specialists from four hospitals in Sweden. Two men and 13 women aged between 43 and 63 participated. Data were analyzed with systematic text condensation according to Malterud.

FINDINGS

Three themes were identified. (1) Organizational stability contributed to low staff turnover, with good spirits between colleagues, representing everyone's equal value and resulting in a feeling of homelikeness. (2) Sustained development in one's own profession. (3) A humane head nurse who was at hand, who was a facilitator, who knew staff members, and eliminated obstacles for them.

CONCLUSIONS

In a nonhierarchical and stable organization with a head nurse with caritative leadership skills, a welcoming working environment with opportunities for professional development is created. Thus, nurse specialists choose to stay, contributing to organizational development.