The missing link: optimizing return-to-work for employees with cancer, by supporting employers

INTERVENTION: The intervention consists of an online toolbox targeting the participant’s employer. With ‘employer’ we refer to the person who is, from his/her role as (direct) supervisor, human resource manager or case‐manager, in direct contact with the participant and from there responsible for guiding the participant at work. The online toolbox is an open‐assess website containing to‐the‐point information, videos and checklists to support employers during the RTW process of an employee diagnosed with cancer. Intervention group: Participants randomised in the intervention group will be asked to inform their employer about the online toolbox, either by email or letter. Employers will be asked to use the online toolbox throughout the RTW process of the participant. Control group: Participants randomised to the control group will not inform their employer about the online toolbox for a period of six months. CONDITION: Cancer, return to work, worker, employee, employer. Kanker, werkhervatting, werknemer, werkgever. PRIMARY OUTCOME: The primary outcome measure of the intervention is the combined outcome measure successful RTW. This outcome measure is a combination of RTW (having performed work activities in own work or in replacement work during the past four weeks) and a subgroup analyses for the ones that did return to work: degrees of successfulness of RTW (a new weighted, on individual level, outcome measure). The degrees of successfulness of RTW contains seven items, which were found to constitute successful RTW most importantly, according to employees diagnosed with cancer: ‘enjoyment in work’, ‘work without sacrificing health’, ‘open communication with employer’, ‘perceived confidence from employer without assumptions about workability’, ‘feeling welcome at work’, ‘good work‐life balance’ and ‘joint satisfaction about the work situation (employer and employee)’. Each participant rates each items on its perceived importance and on its success. The combination of the items’ relative perceived importance and the items’ success determines the degrees of successfulness of RTW. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Secondary outcome measures are: ; Effectiveness of the intervention: ; ‐ Quality of Working life ; ‐ Unwanted work changes ; ; Others: ; ‐ Participation in co‐interventions ; ‐ Contact with the employer ; INCLUSION CRITERIA: ‐ Diagnosed with cancer <2 years ago. ‐ Able to fill out three questionnaires in the next six months. ‐ Currently (partial) sick‐listed for <1 year. ‐ Of the working age (18‐63 years).  In paid employment under a temporary (>6 months remaining) or permanent contract on part‐time, full‐time of flexible basis. ‐ Able to understand, speak and read Dutch sufficiently.