Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.docx

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Aspects of OHS What is the impact of inequity and discrimination on OHS? How we do manage disabilities, return-to-work, and vulnerable workers? Learning Objectives For Today Define distributive, procedural, and interactional fairness/justice Explain the purpose, m...

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Aspects of OHS What is the impact of inequity and discrimination on OHS? How we do manage disabilities, return-to-work, and vulnerable workers? Learning Objectives For Today Define distributive, procedural, and interactional fairness/justice Explain the purpose, motives, assessment, and best practices of disability management Outline the steps and barriers of return-to-work Identify and assess why certain workers are more vulnerable than others INJUSTICE AT WORK Unfairness as an OHS issue? A dive into the evidence There is a consistent and robust link between unfairness at work a wide range of OHS outcomes (Robbins et al., 2012) Organizational Fairness There are 3 general types of fairness/justice at work: Distributive (think outcome!) perceived fairness of the outcomes of organizational processes and decisions Example scenario In a team of five, all members worked diligently on a project. When it came time to assign recognition and rewards, each member received an equal share, reflecting the perceived fairness based on their contributions. Procedural (think process of getting to outcome!) perceived fairness of the formal processes and policies through which decision outcomes are allocated and end products are achieved Example scenario During a recent round of promotions, the company implemented a rigorous evaluation process. They used standardized criteria and involved multiple evaluators to ensure every candidate had an equal and fair opportunity to be considered. Interactional (think interpersonal treatment!) Perceived fairness in one’s interactions with and information received from an organization’s representatives Example scenario An employee approached their manager with a concern about their workload. The manager actively listened, acknowledged the issue, and provided clear and honest information. This interaction reflected a sense of fairness in how concerns were addressed within the organization. DISABILITY MANAGEMENT Disability Management Proactive employer practices with the goals of preventing or reducing workplace disability, intervening early in the face of risk or injury, and providing coordinated management and rehabilitation functions to promote workers’ recovery and safe and timely return to work Motives Disability management Moral and Social Motives Emotional and health costs associated with not working: Higher rates of depression, social exclusion, anxiety (e.g., Paul & Moser, 2009) Work is a source of meaning, identity, and social support Legal Motives In Canada, human rights legislation protects the rights of injured workers Duty to accommodate and undue hardship Duty to accommodate: Legislated responsibility of employers to accommodate workers who are attempting to return to work following an injury or illness via changes in job tasks and/or the work environment to enable workers with a temporary or permanent disability to perform work productively Undue hardship Aspect of human rights legislation that means employers must accommodate the needs of a disabled worker unless the necessary modifications would lead to health and safety difficulties or present unsustainable economic or efficiency costs Financial Motives More than 300 million workplace accidents occur worldwide per year Workplace disability costs about 4% of global GDP In Canada 2021: 277,217 claims for lost time lost-time injuries Disability Management Programs Goals: Promotion of safe and healthy workplaces Coordinated programming in health, rehabilitation, and accommodation interventions Representation of all stakeholders, including workers, unions, management, government, and insuring agencies Disability management programs are most effective using a systems approach An approach to disability management that emphasizes the work and organizational context instead of focusing solely on the individual. Disability management programs are integrated into all aspects of the workplace Disability Management Programs Assessment Two Primary Values for Disability Management Programs: 1) Safe and productive employment for individuals, including those with disabilities 2) Reduced incidence and impact of workplace injury and illness Indicators of program success: Decreased rates of incidents and illness Shorter duration of work disability Reduced associated costs (e.g., wage replacement) Sustained return to work Improved quality of life Best Practices Disability Management The severity of a worker’s injury or illness and the physical demands of that worker’s job are important predictors of initial and sustained return-to-work. More serious or severe the injury, more physically demanding work = longer the return-to-work period will be. However, there are several best practices that can reduce the incidence and impact of workplace disability People-focused Climate Values human resources and supports safety initiatives Employees have a voice in the program ALL employees should be educated on their company’s safety values and disability management Injured workers need to feel that they are welcome to return to the workplace and that organizations value their contributions Prevention Focus Efforts to reduce the incidence of illness and injury in the workplace Result in cost savings for organizations Good starting point when developing a disability management program is to examine the organization’s safety record Early Intervention Continually assess and take steps to reduce risks for injury and illness Look for patterns in absence data and intervene Make “early & considerate” contact with injured workers Education Supervisors play important roles in prevention and in return to work. They need to be trained in all aspects of the programming. RTW Case Management Co-ordinated services for ill and injured employees Return-to-work coordinator: Person responsible for return-to-work case management Integrated Case Management/Monitoring Facilitates multiple aspects of process (e.g., insurance claims process) and eases experience claims and RTW experience for employees Best Practices Collectively, the best practices: Empower employees, aim to emphasize employees’ value, dignity, and fair treatment, as well as signal that the employer is invested in preventing and rehabilitating injury and illness. RETURN-TO-WORK Return-To-Work Return-to-work planning Collaboratively developed, individualized plan that identifies an injured or ill worker’s return-to-work goals Often Includes: Workplace accommodation Physical demands analysis Functional ability assessment Return-To-Work Workplace accommodation Workplace Accommodation Modifications to the arrangement of work that promote early and safe return to work for injured, ill, or disabled workers Why is this a vital aspect of RTW planning? Injured workers who receive offers of work modifications return to work twice as often, absence durations are about half as long as for workers who are not given an accommodation! Types of Workplace Accommodation 1) Light-duty work Workplace accommodation where workers return to a job that is less demanding than their previous job 2) Gradual work exposure A type of light-duty accommodation where job demands slowly increase until the workers are performing the full requirement of their pre-injury jobs 3) Work trials A form of accommodation where workers return to work on a trial basis 4) Supported and sheltered work Modified work arrangements designed to help those with permanent disabilities who have either not been successful in competitive work environments or require substantial support to return to work. Return-To-Work Planning Physical demands analysis & functional ability assessment Physical Demands Analysis (PDA) Standardized evaluation of the physical and cognitive demands of a job completed by a person familiar with the job Functional Ability Assessment (FAA) A standardized assessment of an injured or ill worker’s ability to perform job tasks that is completed by a member of the health care team treating the injured worker Barriers To Return-To-Work Common barriers: Slowdowns in the process e.g., paperwork delays Psychosocial factors e.g., low quality jobs with high demands, job stress, and/or lack of control Fear due to lack of assurances e.g., may fear not getting old job back or re-injury Long absences Disability-related absence often has three stages: Acute (1–30 days), Subacute (31–90 days), Chronic (91 + days) Private insurers estimate average length of a chronic disability is nearly three years. When early and safe return is possible, facilitating early return is important for all stakeholders. What happens when an employee’s return to the original workplace is not possible? Labour market re-entry programs can help an individual who cannot return to the original workplace. During the labour market re-entry process, the injured, ill, or disabled worker’s capabilities, experience, and training are reviewed. Additional skills training may be provided to help the worker find employment that provides earnings comparable to those in the previous job. Stigma Ill and injured workers sometimes report feeling stigmatized during the return-to-work process. These experiences include things like discrimination and being avoided or ignored. Workers who have “invisible” conditions may feel particularly vulnerable to stigma. Employers must look for ways to manage stigma and its negative outcomes Education to replace myths Promoting contact between injured & non-injured workers Diminish other barriers VULNERABLE WORKERS Vulnerable Workers It is well documented that the burden of occupational injury and illness is not equally distributed across the workforce. For example, there are higher rates of occupational injuries among new immigrants, younger workers, workers with lower levels of education, shift-workers, and temporary workers (Lay et al., 2016) Vulnerability defined: exposure to on-the-job hazards in conjunction with inadequate access to resources to mitigate the effects of these hazards. Young workers are employees aged 15-24. At particular risk in the workplace: Lack experience and training, meaning they may. Not recognize hazards in the workplace May not be aware of their right to a safe working environment and their right to refuse unsafe work Afraid to “rock the boat” and speak up about concerns Often part-time or seasonally employed, so may receive less safety training and supervision as full-time employees