Working with a chronic condition: Strengthening self-control in a supportive work environment

Working with a chronic condition can be challenging, with physical or psychological limitations hampering work performance. Since return to work after long-term sick leave has proven to be difficult, prevention of work-related problems and facilitating sustainable employment among workers with chronic conditions is of significant importance. Self-control can help workers with chronic conditions to stay at work. Self-control relates to one’s ability to adapt to a new challenging situation. Having higher levels of self-control at work might improve wellbeing and health, thereby facilitating sustainable employment of workers with chronic conditions. However, not every worker has the same level of self-control. By creating a supportive work environment, workers with chronic conditions are enabled to exert self-control, so that work-related problems can be prevented. Both stakeholders within occupational health care and within organizations should play a role in providing support to workers with chronic conditions. However, currently, occupational physicians (OPs) in the Netherlands spend most of their time on reducing sickness absence instead of on preventive activities. This thesis aimed to develop, implement and evaluate an organizational-level intervention to prevent work-related problems, by strengthening self-control among workers with chronic conditions. The primary objectives of this thesis were: 1. To explore the elements of self-control at work from the perspectives of workers with chronic conditions and to gain insight in contextual factors that influence its exertion. 2. To explore facilitators, barriers and support needs for staying at work among workers with chronic conditions and to identify barriers to offering support and opportunities for improving support from the perspectives of OPs and organizational representatives. 3. To develop and evaluate an organizational-level intervention, in which OPs guide organizations with creating a supportive work envir