Work Accommodations in Canadian Social Firms: Supervisors’ and Workers’ Perspectives
Publication: Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
25 July 2019
Abstract
Social firms (SFs) are an appealing model for people with a mental health condition who are having difficulties maintaining their employment in a competitive labour market. The goal of this study is to compare the availability of work accommodations in two types of Canadian SFs, by interviewing supervisors working in adapted enterprises and consumer/survivor-run businesses, and by obtaining the perceptions of the workers with a mental health condition regarding the usefulness of these accommodations. Results indicate accommodations in both types of SFs are readily available and useful. A significant difference between the two types of SFs is the availability of a job coach whose presence workers found useful in adapted enterprises. Natural supports from stakeholders (e.g., supervisors, job coach) are important for work sustainability.
Résumé
Le modèle de l’entreprise sociale (ES) peut s’avérer attrayant pour les personnes confrontées à un problème de santé mentale qui éprouvent de la difficulté à conserver leur emploi dans le marché du travail ordinaire. L’objectif de cette étude est de comparer l’accessibilité des mesures d’accommodement de travail dans deux types d’ES canadiennes en interviewant les superviseurs immédiats d’entreprises adaptées et d’entreprises dirigées par des consommateurs/survivants et en recueillant l’avis de travailleurs aux prises avec un problème de santé mentale sur le caractère utile des mesures d’accommodement. Les résultats de l’étude démontrent que dans les deux types d’ES les mesures d’accommodement sont facilement accessibles et utiles. Une différence significative entre les deux types d’ES tient de la disponibilité d’un formateur en milieu de travail dont la présence est jugée utile dans les entreprises adaptées. Le soutien naturel offert par les intervenants (ex. les superviseurs immédiats, les formateurs en milieu de travail) est d’une importance certaine pour un maintien en emploi durable.
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Published In
Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Volume 38 • Number 1 • January 2019
Pages: 37 - 56
History
Version of record online: 25 July 2019
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Marc Corbière, Patrizia Villotti, Carolyn S. Dewa, Hélène Sultan-Taïeb, Franco Fraccaroli, Sara Zaniboni, Marie-José Durand, and Tania Lecomte. 2019. Work Accommodations in Canadian Social Firms: Supervisors’ and Workers’ Perspectives. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health.
38(1): 37-56. https://doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2018-026
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