Work Try-outs and Job Coaching as a Path Towards Employment – Employers’ Perspective

This thesis examined employers’ perspectives of a cooperation model designed by two employment projects. The cooperation model combines job coaching to the implementation of work try-outs. The objective of the cooperation model is to improve the labor market readiness and position of job seekers, who need support for gaining employment. Furthermore, the objective of the cooperation model is to clarify the job seeker’s readiness, potential and possible challenges, in order to make a realistic follow-up plan, which promotes their employment. Employer cooperation has been an essential aspect in these employment projects, in order to develop well-functioning models for employment. Therefore, the employer perspective was used as the basis for this thesis as well. \n\nThe purpose of this study was to describe employer perspective of employment promotion, supported employment, and the use of activation methods of labor policies. The perspective in this study is closely bound to the context of cooperation with employment projects and job coaching provided by them, but the results contribute to the overall evaluation of implementation of activation methods and employment promotion as well. The objectives of this study were, from the employer perspective to study: How do work try-outs, combined with job coaching, function as a path to employment? And how to improve the functioning of work try-outs? The data was collected by semi-structured interviews with six employers, and analyzed using an inductive content analysis. \n\nThe results indicated that the employers experienced the work try-outs in some cases as a functional path towards employment. Furthermore, in some cases, as the only path to employment. There was however conditions to the well-functioning of the work try-out, in order for it to be adequate and beneficial for the job seeker/work try-outer. These conditions condensed to the availability of additional support, which the work try-out process requires. In this particular cooperation model, the additional support was given by job coaches. According to the employers’ experiences, the additional support was essential in order to ensure the functionality of a work try-out, and the actualization of its purpose. \n\nThe results of this study increase the knowledge about the functionality of work try-outs as a path to employment. The results help to identify development needs in implementing the activation and employment promotion strategies, regarding job seekers in a challenging labor market position.