Process Evaluation of an Operational-Level Job Stress Intervention Aimed at Decreasing Sickness Absence among Public Sector Employees in Sweden

Jonathan Severin, Lisa Björk, Linda Corin, Ingibjörg H. Jonsdottir and Magnus Akerstrom
Additional contact information
Jonathan Severin: Region Västra Götaland, The Institute of Stress Medicine, 413 19 Gothenburg, Sweden
Lisa Björk: Region Västra Götaland, The Institute of Stress Medicine, 413 19 Gothenburg, Sweden
Linda Corin: Region Västra Götaland, The Institute of Stress Medicine, 413 19 Gothenburg, Sweden
Ingibjörg H. Jonsdottir: Region Västra Götaland, The Institute of Stress Medicine, 413 19 Gothenburg, Sweden
Magnus Akerstrom: Region Västra Götaland, The Institute of Stress Medicine, 413 19 Gothenburg, Sweden

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: Work-related sickness absence carries large societal costs, and interventions aimed at decreasing sickness absence need to be performed in an effective way. This study evaluated the implementation process of an operational-level job stress intervention, implemented between 2017 and 2018 in the public sector, by assessing the extent to which the allocated resources reached the intended target group, if the planned measures could be expected to address the relevant work environmental challenges, and if the planned measures were implemented. Data were collected from applications for funding in the intervention ( n = 154), structured interviews ( n = 20), and register data on sickness absence ( n = 2912) and working conditions ( n = 1477). Thematic analysis was used to classify the level of the work environmental challenges, the level and perspective of the suggested measures, and the “measure-to-challenge correspondence”. Overall, participating workplaces ( n = 71) had both higher sickness absence ( p = 0.01) and worse reported working conditions compared to their corresponding reference groups. A measure-to-challenge correspondence was seen in 42% of the measures, and individual-level measures were mostly suggested for organisational-level work environment challenges. Almost all planned measures (94%) were ultimately implemented. When performing operational-level interventions, managers and their human resource partners need support in designing measures that address the work environmental challenges at their workplace.

Keywords: occupational health; public sector; workplace intervention; process evaluation; organizational; sickness absence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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