Reincentivizing Work A grounded theory work and sick leave
Main Article Content
Abstract
Work capacity has a weak correlation to disease concepts, which are insufficient to explain sick leave behavior. With data mainly from Sweden, a welfare state with high sickness absence rates, our aim was to develop an explanatory theory of work and sick leave. We used classic grounded theory for analyzing data from 130 individual interviews of people working or on sick leave, physicians, social security officers, and literature. More than 60,000 words and hundreds of typed and handwritten memos were the basis for the writing up of the theory. In this paper we present a theory of “reincentivizing work”. To understand incentives we define work disability as hurt work drivers or work traps. Work drivers are specified as work capacities + work motivators, monetary and non-monetary. Incentives are recognized when hurt work drivers are assessed and traps identified. Reincentivizing is done by repairing hurt work drivers and releasing from traps. In our theory of reincentivizing work, hurt work drivers and traps are recognized and then repaired and released. The theory may add to social psychological research on work and sickness absence, and possibly inform future changes in sick leave policies.
Downloads
Article Details
The Grounded Theory Review is an open-access journal, which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the international Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition of open access.
References
Bentham J: An introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. London: Oxford University Press. 1789. Reprint 1996.
Carlsen B, Norheim OF: “Saying no is no easy matter” A qualitative study of competing concerns in rationing decisions in general practice. BMC Health Services Research 2005, 5:70
Csikszentmihalyi M: Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. New York: Harper Perennial; 1995.
Ekström H, Esseveld J, Hovelius B: Keeping My Ways of Being: Middle-aged women dealing with the passage through menopause. The Grounded Theory Review 2005, 5:21-53.
Englund L: Sick-listing – Attitudes and doctor’s practice. With special emphasis on sick-listing practice in primary health care. PhD-thesis. Uppsala University, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences; 2000.
Esser I: Why Work? Comparative Studies on Welfare Regimes and Individuals’ Work Orientations. PhD-thesis. Stockholm University, Department of Sociology; 2005.
Fryers T: Work, identity and health. Clin Pract Epidemol Ment Health 2006, 2:12.
Glaser BG: Theoretical Sensitivity: Advances in the methodology of grounded theory. Mill Valley: Sociology Press; 1978.
Glaser BG: Doing Grounded Theory. Issues and discussions. Mill Valley: Sociology Press; 1998.
Glaser BG: The Grounded Theory Perspective I: Conceptualization Contrasted with Description. Mill Valley: Sociology Press; 2001.
Glaser BG: The Grounded Theory Perspective II: Description’s Remodeling of Grounded Theory. Mill Valley: Sociology Press; 2003.
Glaser BG: The Grounded Theory Perspective III: Theoretical Coding. Mill Valley: Sociology Press; 2005.
Glaser BG, Strauss AL: Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine; 1967.
Goine H: Sickness absence–Aspects of measurement, impact of the labour market and effects of intervention. PhD-thesis. Mid Sweden University, Health Sciences Department; 2006.
Grahn B, Stigmar K, Ekdahl C: Motivation for change in patients with prolonged musculoskeletal disorders: a qualitative two-year follow-up study. Physiother Res Int 1999, 4:170-89.
Grahn BE, Borgquist LA, Ekdahl C: Rehabilitation benefits highly motivated patients: a six-year prospective costeffectiveness study. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2004, 20:214-21.
Holmberg S, Thelin A, Stiernström EL, Svärdsudd K: Psychosocial factors and low back pain, consultations, and sick leave among farmers and rural referents: a population-based study. J Occup Environ Med 2004, 46:993-8.
Holton, J: Rehumanising Knowledge Work through Fluctuating Support Networks: A Grounded Theory. PhD-thesis. University of Northampton, 2006.
Johansson P, Palme M: “Moral hazard and sickness insurance: Empirical evidence from a sickness insurance reform in Sweden”. Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation (IFAU). Working Paper 2004, 10 http://ideas.repec.org/p/hhs/ifauwp/2004_010.html
Lazarsfeld P, Thielens W: The academic mind. Glencoe: Free Press; 1958.
Ljungqvist L, Sargent TJ: The European Unemployment Dilemma. J Polit Economy 1998, 106:514-550.
Melamed S, Groswasser Z, Stern MJ: Acceptance of disability, work involvement and subjective rehabilitation status of traumatic brain-injured (TBI) patients. Brain Inj 1992, 6:233-43.
Mullen PD: Cutting back after a heart attack: an overview. Health Educ Monogr 1978, 6:295-311.
Nordqvist C, Holmqvist C, Alexanderson K: Views of laypersons on the role employers play in return to work when sicklisted. J Occup Rehabil 2003,13:11-20.
Potts B: Interviews with 12 RTA-employees 2002-2003. Personal communication, GT workshop Mill Valley 2005.
Quintini G, Swaim P: Employing the non-employed. OECD Observer 2003, 239. http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/fullstory.php/aid/1079/Employing_the_non-employed.html
Rae D: How to reduce sickness absences in Sweden: lessons from international experience. OECD Economics department working papers, 2005, 29.http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2006doc.nsf/43bb6130e5e86e 5fc12569fa005d004c/8b02a0bbb12ae243c12571fe002c1d17 /$FILE/JT03214486.DOC
Riegel BJ: Contributors to cardiac invalidism after acute myocardial infarction. Coron Artery Dis 1993, 4:315-20.
Sachs L, Krantz I: Anthropology of medicine and society: A new perspective for a multidisciplinary audience. Stockholm: Department of International Health Care and Research; 1991.
Sekimoto M, Imanaka Y, Kitano N, Ishizaki T, Takahashi O: Why are physicians not persuaded by scientific evidence? A grounded theory interview study. BMC Health Serv Res 2006, 6:92
Steers R, Rhodes S: Knowledge and Speculation about Absenteeism. In: Goodman P, Atkin R, editors. Absenteeism. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass;1984: 229-275.
Swedish Government Reports: Out of the poverty trap [Swedish]. Stockholm: SOU 2001: 24 (in Swedish). http://www.regeringen.se/download/82f99a95.pdf?major=1 &minor=2776&cn=attachmentPublDuplicator_0_attachment
Swedish Government Reports: More insurance and more work [Swedish]. Stockholm: SOU 2006: 86 (in Swedish). http://www.regeringen.se/download/fdb4ae15.pdf?major=1 &minor=72124&cn=attachmentPublDuplicator_0_attachment
Thulesius H: Evaluation of Diagnostic Centre in Kronoberg County 2001-2003: A more reliable sick-listing? [Swedish]. Växjö: FoU Kronoberg; 2005.
Thulesius H, Håkansson A, Petersson K: Balancing: a basic process in end-of-life cancer care. Qual Health Res 2003, 13:1353-7.