Back to work: The employee's perspective

The Belgian labor market is under pressure due to low employment rates, rising absenteeism, and increasing staff shortages, especially in the healthcare sector. High physical and mental stress increase the risk of absenteeism and make it difficult to return to work on a long-term basis, creating a vicious circle of absenteeism, outflow, and reduced inflow. Despite the policy importance of retention and reintegration, knowledge about the specific factors that influence dropout, return to work, and resumption of work among healthcare professionals remains limited. Previous research has identified bottlenecks such as poor communication between the actors involved and insufficient personal guidance, but existing solutions are too general and not very applicable within the context of healthcare institutions.

This project systematically maps the obstacles and facilitating factors in all phases of the reintegration process and identifies empowerment strategies that contribute to return to work. By combining interviews and literature, an integrated insight into the experiences, needs, and barriers of sick healthcare professionals is created. The results form the basis for substantiated and practical recommendations that support both healthcare professionals and healthcare institutions in optimizing their retention policies.