181 Guidance of employees with a work disability to improve sustainable employability after the training and, according to one employee, the supervisor said that he had learned which points he can improve on himself. However, most employees did not notice any difference in the guidance of supervisors after the training. Discussion We investigated the experiences of employees with a work disability about the guidance they receive from supervisors (who followed the Mentorwijs training), whether they notice differences in the guidance due to the Mentorwijs training, and what kind of aspects were important in the guidance for their sustainable employability. In general, employees enjoyed their work, but work tasks were sometimes not challenging enough, and they wanted more appreciation and compliments from their supervisor. Main reasons for satisfaction about the guidance were that help was often available, their opinions were taken seriously, and equality in the workplace. Other employees were dissatisfied, mainly because they wanted their supervisor to give them more autonomy, to be more considerate, and trust them more. In several areas, the satisfaction of work and guidance of supervisors can be further increased, which may also increase sustainable employability of employees with a work disability. These areas will be discussed below, as education for supervisors, such as the Mentorwijs training, could help supervisors to learn about and implement these elements in their daily practice. Interpretation of the findings Working conditions and working relations Working conditions were not always pleasant according to employees with a work disability in this study. As mentioned earlier, employees with a work disability more often have a job insecurity (e.g. a flexible contract) than people without work disabilities (8). From literature, it is known that a supervisor is more inclined to invest in an employee with a permanent contract (24). This could be the reason why things like the right work clothing, but also training opportunities, were not always available for some employees with a work disability in this study. The difference between permanent and flexible contracts will therefore only widen the gap between employees with a work disability and employees without work disabilities (24), which can ultimately lead to reduced job satisfaction and sustainable employability. Another issue is that, although employees enjoyed their work, they also indicated it was sometimes not challenging enough. A key element of the Mentorwijs training is to ensure that employees enjoy going to work by strengthening their autonomy and not be too protective with them. Supervisors of employees with a work disability are therefore urged to provide good working conditions, including varying tasks and opportunities for growth, as will be discussed in the paragraph about opportunities and challenges. 6
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTk4NDMw