The practice of the joint negotiation should be improved and unified

 Pesonen Sanna,* Koskela Inka**, Juvonen-Posti Pirjo** *Finnish Institute of Occupational Health FIOH, Kuopio, Finland, ** Finnish Institute of Occupational Health FIOH, Helsinki, Finland

Introduction

 The Negotiation between employee, supervisor and representative of occupational health services on employee work ability and possible work modifications –  study (2015-2018) investigates the ways in which employees’ return to work is supported through a negotiation between the employee, supervisor and representative of occupational health services (joint negotiation). The study is conducted in co-operation between the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the University of Tampere. The research questions were: What are the topics covered in joint negotiations and what topics are raised?  By whom and how the topics of work ability, work, workflow and work environment are addressed?  How does the implementation of the joint negotiation relate to what is described in the Work Ability Support Model of the workplace?

Methods

The data consist of questionnaires before the negotiation, video recordings of the negotiation, audio recorded interviews after the negotiation, the negotiation minutes and the workplace’s model for supporting employees’ work ability. This data has been constructed to 14 case descriptions and to this study we took seven cases and analyzed them according the descriptive content analysis.

Conclusion
The chairperson of the joint negotiation should ensure before the meeting that all the stakeholders are aware of the actual agenda for the meeting. The focus of the joint negotiations, negotiating of the solutions to work and to the employee’s working career, should be clarified.  The joint negotiation practice described in the Work Ability Support Model may support the good negotiating practices.