Lederes sykefraværsoppfølging - til hjelp eller besvær?

Abstract

The topic for this masters’ theses is follow-up of long-term sick leave. More spesific, about first-line supervisors’ follow-up of employees with long-term sick leave. The thesis takes the employees point of view. The study has a qualitative design, and I have conducted six interviews with employees working for the City of Oslo. All the informants have returned to work after one or several long-term sick leaves. The main issue in this study is: Which factors within the supervisors follow-up are meaningful for employees who are on sick-leave, and for returning to work?

The main purpose has been to get an insight in the employees experiences with the follow-up when on sick-leave from their supervisor, and which factors that they emphasize as meaningful in this follow-up. Further if there are factors that have been made an impact related to returning to work.

The findings in this thesis show: humanity shown from leader to employee and feeling valued as a person and for the competence as an employee, are of importance. Furthermore, adjustment latitude at the workplace has an impact on when the employee may return to work and that supervisors’ follow-up of employees with long-term sick leave has to be systematic and have structure.