# Employees’ experiences of involving their managers in the Return-to-Work process through a three-party meeting in primary healthcare – a retrospective interview study

## TL;DR

Employees on sick leave found that structured meetings with their managers helped improve communication and collaboration during their return to work.

## Contribution

The study introduces the use of the Demand and Ability Protocol in fostering constructive dialogue between employees and managers during return-to-work processes.

## Key findings

- Employees found the DAP meetings helpful in fostering collaboration with their managers.
- The structured dialogue enabled mutual understanding and exploration of workplace demands and employee capabilities.
- The DAP supported the development of trust-based relationships and informed decision-making in the RTW process.

## Abstract

A trusting relationship between employee and manager is crucial for constructive dialogue regarding work ability. However, employees may sometimes experience collaboration as unpleasant if the dialogue with their manager is not constructive. The aim of the study was to explore how employees on sick leave experience manager involvement in the RTW through a three-party meeting using the Demand and Ability Protocol (DAP) in primary healthcare.

Data included 20 semi-structured individual interviews with employees diagnosed with common mental disorders or musculoskeletal disorders who had participated in a DAP dialogue. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Employees wanted to reach out to their manager but had challenges getting the message through about their reduced work ability. During sick leave, the structured DAP held within primary healthcare was experienced as a helpful measure to foster collaboration with the manager. The dialogue helped explore the balance between workplace demands and the employee’s capabilities. This enabled both parties to share their view and the rehabilitation coordinator could guide towards potential adaptations. Employees found that the increased mutual understanding fostered by the DAP helped pave the way for ongoing collaboration in the RTW process.

The results underscore the importance of facilitating collaboration between employees and managers before, during, and after sick leave. The DAP can support the development of a trust-based relationship that enables all involved stakeholders to articulate needs, propose measures, and make informed decisions that enhance efforts throughout the RTW process.