Social sustainability and the activation of workers with health problems

Abstract

Supporting the employment of people with health problems can promote well-being, equity and the fiscal resilience of the welfare state, thereby contributing to social sustainability in both the immediate and longer term. However, such efforts can also have adverse effects on vulnerable groups, which is why social sustainability can only emerge from an institutional framework that strikes a balance between the responsibilities of various actors and provides adequate social protection. This chapter compares policy approaches to return to work and rehabilitation in Europe and investigates the extent to which different approaches facilitate the involvement of employers in activation efforts and to achieve favourable combinations of activation and social protection. The social investment perspective is used as a framework for identifying trade-offs and assessing policy strategies. The findings reveal a notable diversity in institutional settings and policy designs across Europe, with only a limited number of countries that have strong employer involvement and a comprehensive approach to activation. A pronounced emphasis on activation is compatible with adequate social protection in instances where work is no longer possible. Nevertheless, activation in itself cannot provide sufficient social protection for these groups, representing a necessary but not sufficient condition for achieving social sustainability.