Julia M. Kensbock

The role of transformational leadership in the mental health and job performance of employees with disabilities

With the present study, we aim to advance the understanding of the role of leadership in the vocational inclusion of employees with disabilities. We argue that transformational leadership (TFL) can be an important approach that fits particularly the requirements of people with disabilities, because it positively influences their self-concept and consequentially heightens their job performance while it prevents emotional exhaustion. Applying a mixed-methods approach, both qualitative interview and quantitative survey data from employees of an Israeli call center were gathered and analyzed. The interview results indicated that all facets of TFL could be observed in the present context. Moreover, it provides evidence for the assumption that a lack of self-esteem is a key problem with which employees with disabilities deal in daily work. The survey results support the view that TFL can enhance employees’ organization-based self-esteem and prevent their emotional exhaustion, thereby also affecting job performance. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

Is There a Downside of Job Accommodations? An Employee Perspective on Individual Change Processes

By modifying the work environments, work routines, and work tasks of employees with health restrictions, organizations can effectively help them continue to perform their jobs successfully. As such, job accommodations are an effective tool to secure the continued employment of aging workers who develop disabilities across their life span. However, while accommodations tackle health-related performance problems, they might create new challenges on the part of the affected employee. Building on the organizational change and accommodations literatures, we propose a theoretical framework of negative experiences during accommodation processes and apply it to qualitative data from group interviews with 73 manufacturing workers at a German industrial company who were part of the companys job accommodation program. Although problems associated with health-related impairments were mostly solved by accommodation, affected employees with disabilities reported about interpersonal problems and conflicts similar to those that typically occur during organizational change. Lack of social support as well as poor communication and information were raised as criticisms. Furthermore, our findings indicate that discrimination, bullying, and maltreatment appear to be common during accommodation processes. To make accommodation processes more successful, we derive recommendations from the organizational change literature and apply it to the accommodation context. We also emphasize unique characteristics of the accommodation setting and translate these into practical implications.