14.02.11 by Work Screen
Access to Work: Office Work Screen Pilot Study
The Office Work Screen was used to examine levels of Work Instability (WI) in clients presenting for assessment under the Job Centre Plus Access to Work programme.
Clients referred for an ergonomics assessment during the study period were asked to complete the Office Work Screen on the day of their assessment with a second, follow up questionnaire, posted out 3 months later. Data on sickness absence was also collected at both time points.
Results: 316 clients completed the first Work Screen. Clients had a mean age of 42.8 years, ranging from 19 to 62; almost three quarters (74.1%) were female. Initially 17.7% of the clients had low levels of WI, 43.0% medium WI, and 39.2% high WI. There was no significant difference in the level of WI by gender or age.
Of those who did return the second questionnaire, there was a significant reduction in the level of WI and consequently the proportion of those at high levels of WI reduced from 40.7% to 31.5%. The proportion of those with low levels of WI increased from 22.2% to 35.2%.
The proportion of clients taking over 15 days sick leave more than halved from 25.3% to 12.0%, while those taking no sick leave increased from 37.3% to 56.6%; however with small numbers (n=83) this did not reach significance, and can only be considered a strong trend.
In summary: the majority of clients (82.2%) presenting to Access to Work do so with moderate or high levels of WI, representing a significant threat to job retention. Following intervention (ergonomics assessment and support), levels of WI and sickness absence fell.
108 clients (34.2%) completed a second Office Work Screen that was posted to them 3 months after their Access to Work assessment.
There was no difference in the baseline level of WI between those who did, and did not complete a second questionnaire. Neither was there any difference in age or gender between those who did, and did not complete the second Work Screen.
The level of sickness absence reported increased significantly as the level of WI increased: Almost half (46.7%) of those with low WI reported taking no sick leave during the past three months, whereas less than a quarter (23.6%) with high WI reported no sick leave. In contrast, over a third (38.2%) of those with high WI reported taking more than 15 days sick leave, compared to one in six (15.6%) of those with low WI.
Note: Applicants to Access to Work are not a representative group of the workforce as a whole as applicants have chronic health issues or an existing disability.
Read More
