170 Chapter 6 Therefore, guidance of supervisors needs to be improved to increase sustainable employability of employees with a work disability (4). Mentorwijs (literal translation in English: Mentorwise, which refers to the supervisor who takes the role of mentor) is a training that has been developed for supervisors to better guide employees with a work disability. The aim of the training is to develop and strengthen the knowledge, attitudes, and skills for adequate guidance of employees with a work disability. Supervisors, who have completed the Mentorwijs training are generally positive about the training (4). However, it is unknown what the experiences of employees are regarding the guidance of supervisors who have followed the Mentorwijs training and what kind of aspects they find important for their sustainable employability. Such information could provide relevant insights for those supervising employees with a work disability, in the context of Mentorwijs and beyond. Therefore, a qualitative study was conducted to answer the following research question: What are the experiences of employees with a work disability regarding (1) the guidance of supervisors (who followed the Mentorwijs training), (2) which differences they notice in the guidance due to the Mentorwijs training, and (3) what kind of aspects they consider important in their guidance to achieve sustainable employability? Methods Study Design In this qualitative study, semi-structured (group) interviews were held with employees with a work disability to obtain insight into their experiences about the guidance of supervisors at the workplace. The Medical Ethics Committee of the VU University Medical Center approved the study protocol and decided that the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act does not apply to this study (reference no. 2019.239). This study, which is part of a larger study on the effectiveness of the Mentorwijs training, is also registered in the Dutch Trial Register (19). The COREQ (Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research) checklist was used to conduct and report this study (20). All participants provided written informed consent before participating in the study. Mentorwijs Training The Mentorwijs training focuses on supervisors in regular labor organizations and consists of five meetings of 2.5 hours, each with specific learning objectives. The training is face-to-face with a combination of theory and practice, with ample opportunity for supervisors to interact and share experiences from their daily practice. The training focuses on 1) developing knowledge on type of work disabilities and possibilities for support or adjustments at the workplace for employees with a work disability, 2) building an open and involved attitude of
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