Using telework to enhance return to work outcomes for individuals with spinal cord injuries.
Return-to-work is an area of critical concern for individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI), because of the psychological, psychosocial and economic benefits of employment. Although the majority of individuals with SCI are employed pre-injury, they are impeded from maintaining those jobs due to personal, organizational and systems level barriers. Telework, which permits home-based work through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), alleviates many of return-to-work barriers for individuals with SCI, including job demands, mobility limitations, transportation needs and fatigue imposed by medical complications. For telework to fulfill its potential as a return-to-work strategy, rehabilitation professionals and employers must assess and enhance the readiness of the individual, workgroup and organization within the context of a disability management program. Strategies for successfully implementing telework as a return-to-work strategy for individuals with SCI are discussed, along with implications for future research.
Bricout
John C
JC
GWB School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA. jbricout@gwbssw.wustl.edu
D004651:Employment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013685:Telecommunications; D017132:Workplace