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39-year-old Noora works full-time at a clothing store with fifteen other employees. She has a family and ten years of experience in the field. She has held her current job for five years. Noora enjoys customer service and works mainly in sales. She is also responsible for the store’s style service.
Noora's supervisor notices that she has begun to make more mistakes than before and occasionally snaps at customers. Usually a happy and bright person, Noora also appears to be down.
The supervisor brings this up with Noora to find out if there are work-related shortcomings, burnout, or factors in her personal life that might be causing these issues.
Noora says that her husband has been seriously ill, which is making her severely anxious. Early morning shifts and customer service work in particular seem difficult to handle. On the other hand, work helps to take her mind off the problem.
The supervisor suggests that they could adapt Noora's work. They talk and brainstorm a way to adapt the work for her situation.
Noora and her supervisor’s plan for adapted work is put into place for a two-week trial. Noora transfers temporarily to the office and comes to work slightly later if necessary. Her salary is unchanged during adapted work.
In two weeks, the supervisor has a follow-up meeting with Noora, just as they agreed. Noora says that the adaptations have helped, but they decide to continue the adaptation for at least two more weeks.
Noora continues to do adapted work. In two weeks, she says that she is already feeling better and agrees with her supervisor to transfer back to her regular tasks
Jakob is a 54-year-old lawyer in the financial sector. His work is international expert work that requires in-depth professional competence, good language skills and continuous learning of new things.
Jakob has had multiple sclerosis for several years. The illness causes repeated periods of fatigue and balance issues, due to which Jakob has to use a cane.
Jakob’s work has been adapted, among other things, to support his work ability. As his is a progressive illness, the adaptations have taken place gradually over the years. Jakob meets with his supervisor and occupational health care together every six months, or whenever necessary. In these meetings, they assess his situation together and the need to adapt the work further.
Jakob tells his supervisor about the fatigue and balance problems caused by the illness, which are starting to become more common.
The supervisor arranges a meeting between the employee, supervisor and occupational health care. They discuss Jakob’s changed situation and consider solutions for adapting his work.
Jakob has applied for a partial disability pension from a pension provider and has received a positive decision. Jakob works part-time for three days a week and is on partial disability pension for two days a week. Jakob is on partial disability pension on Mondays and Fridays.
Jakob’s work is organised so that the tasks and workload match a three-day working week. He also transitions from busy project work to lighter contract work that does not require travel.
After six months, Jakob meets with his supervisor and occupational health care. Jakob talks about his situation, and they consider measures that Jakob and the supervisor can take.
The occupational physiotherapist has had a look at Jakob’s working environment and has assessed Jakob's work. The workplace has already made significant considerations for accessibility. Workspaces feature indirect lighting and temperature control. His workstation has an electronic desk and his tools are easily accessible. It is possible to take a break as needed.
At the meeting, they agree that, as a new measure, the supervisor will ask the caretaker to open the heavy exterior doors for Jakob and the staff restaurant to provide assistance for him.
The patient organisation suggests that Jakob could apply for a transport service for his commute from the wellbeing services county on the basis of the Disability Services Act. The application is approved, and from now on Jakob is allowed to take a taxi to work.
After six months, Jakob has another meeting with his supervisor and occupational health care. Jakob talks about his situation, and together they think about what measures are needed.
Under the supervisor's leadship the work community agrees on a new practice when reserving meeting rooms. The supervisor makes sure that a change is put in place in the booking system of the meeting rooms: if Jakob is invited to a meeting, the booking system suggests the meeting room that is closest to Jakob’s workspace.
