Page 73 - Työpoliittinen aikakauskirja 4 2017

Recent employment and entrepreneurship studiesPeople with partial work ability as com-petent workforceStudy on the demand for and development of workforce with partial work ability (2017), Mika Ala-Kauhaluoma, Mikko Kesä, Tuula Lehikoinen, Sari Pitkänen, Pekka YlikojolaPublications of the Ministry of Economic Afairs and Employment 42/2017This study looks at the demand for and recruitment of workforce with partial work ability from the employer’s point of view. The study was conducted as multimethod research. An electronic survey was carried out among employers, reaching 999 respondents, 26 per cent of whom had experience in recruiting peo-ple with partial work ability. In addition, stake-holder interviews (n=15) were conducted among representatives of business life advocacy groups and ten case studies were carried out.The demand for workforce with partial work ability can be boosted by providing better com-pensation to the employer for lower productiv-ity and risks. Another aspect that was especially underlined was the signifcance of information. The employers highlighted that it would be important to be provided with realistic informa-tion about the characteristics, productivity and restrictions of people with partial work ability to support the recruitment process. Furthermore, basic information about recruitment and related support is needed.The study also revealed that companies need information about where to fnd jobseekers with partial work ability. The main reasons for not hir-ing people with partial work ability were that the company had not detected such people in their recruitment processes or that there was no suit-able work available. Companies with experience in hiring people with partial work ability know how to organise and design work so that partial work ability is not an obstacle.In general, the employers emphasised three recruitment criteria above all: attitude towards work, competence and motivation. It is impor-tant to note that partial work ability as such does not impair any of these. Other signifcant under-lying factors behind hiring a person with partial work ability were the added value brought by the person, the fact that partial work ability is no obstacle for the job in question and the employ-er’s opportunities to organise work so that it is suitable for the recruitee. Small and large com-panies have diferent risk factors and, conse-quently, their views highlight diferent things. In a nutshell, it can be stated that for small com-panies, the most prominent risks include costs caused by absence (sick pay, substitute person-nel etc.) whereas for large companies, they are risks related to potential pension contributions.