Abstract
Sick leave and early withdrawal from the labour market is more frequent among the
hearing-impaired population than people with normal hearing. The focus of this
study is to gain a deeper understanding of the determinants that lead to a fragile and
a strong labour market attachment by investigating stressors and resistance builders
in hearing-impaired employees during everyday life. An ecological momentary
storytelling method was applied in order to investigate, on the one hand, the
narratives related to the hearing loss, and on the other hand, the narratives related to
work-life in order to reach an understanding of the research question: How is it
possible for a hearing-impaired employee to keep up a strong narrative about self
and at the same time make sure that the needs related to hearing loss are met? By applying the method, we also obtained information on everyday stressors in the lives of six hearing-impaired persons during a workweek. Data from follow-up dialogues was analysed using a grounded theory approach. Fourteen categories placed within four meta-categories were found grounded in the data. The findings showed a clear connection between experiences of stress, energy-draining activities, and feelings of loss of control. The combination of individual awareness on everyday work contexts and action based on this awareness are covered in this discussion. Also elucidated is organizational action to make good communication a common goal for the entire work team or organization. This combination is likely to promote inclusion of the individual, decrease stress, and at the same time, increase team performance.
hearing-impaired population than people with normal hearing. The focus of this
study is to gain a deeper understanding of the determinants that lead to a fragile and
a strong labour market attachment by investigating stressors and resistance builders
in hearing-impaired employees during everyday life. An ecological momentary
storytelling method was applied in order to investigate, on the one hand, the
narratives related to the hearing loss, and on the other hand, the narratives related to
work-life in order to reach an understanding of the research question: How is it
possible for a hearing-impaired employee to keep up a strong narrative about self
and at the same time make sure that the needs related to hearing loss are met? By applying the method, we also obtained information on everyday stressors in the lives of six hearing-impaired persons during a workweek. Data from follow-up dialogues was analysed using a grounded theory approach. Fourteen categories placed within four meta-categories were found grounded in the data. The findings showed a clear connection between experiences of stress, energy-draining activities, and feelings of loss of control. The combination of individual awareness on everyday work contexts and action based on this awareness are covered in this discussion. Also elucidated is organizational action to make good communication a common goal for the entire work team or organization. This combination is likely to promote inclusion of the individual, decrease stress, and at the same time, increase team performance.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
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Titel | Hearing loss, health, stress and work-life: How to reduce labour market stress among persons with hearing loss |
Forlag | Aalborg Universitetsforlag |
Publikationsdato | 2015 |
Artikelnummer | 3 |
Kapitel | 8 |
ISBN (Trykt) | 978-87-7112-384-5 |
Status | Udgivet - 2015 |
Navn | Ph.d.-serien for Det Humanistiske Fakultet, Aalborg Universitet |
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ISSN | 2246-123X |