| Abstract [eng] |
During periods of economic and political instability, many workers face a sense of unsteadiness, which is particularly exacerbated when they have large financial obligations. One of the biggest sources of instability in employees' lives is serious illness. Statistical data suggests that during the period of 2018–2022 in Lithuania, as well as in other European Union countries, there was an increase in serious illnesses (Lithuanian Department of Statistics, 2024b). Such illnesses significantly destabilize the lives of working-age people, and in such cases, workplace support is crucial for them. Therefore, it can be assumed that organizational support perceived by employees can have a positive impact on their attitude towards the organization and their engagement in its activities. This is important for organizations seeking to retain highly skilled employees. Considering this, it can be argued that the topic of organizational support is relevant not only for organizations seeking to better manage their human resources but also for employees for whom such support means a certain stability and reduced risks when facing serious life events. The object of the research – Organizational Support for Employees with Serious Illness. The goal of the project– To reveal organizational support for employees with serious illness. Tasks of the research: 1. Define the concept of organizational support and clarify the forms of support for employees with serious illness. 2. Develop a theoretical research model of organizational support for employees with serious illness. 3. Prepare a research methodology for organizational support for employees with serious illness. 4. Empirically investigate organizational support for employees with serious illness. Research Methods – Qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews were used for qualitative research, during which 12 informants from three organizations were surveyed, three of whom were human resources specialists and nine were employees suffering from serious illness. The main results of the research – During the analysis of scientific literature, the main types of organizational support were identified, and during qualitative research, they were confirmed: support from the organization, support from supervisors, and support from colleagues. The study identified support from supervisors for employees with illness, including psychological support, financial assistance, adjustment of working conditions, and changes in work schedules. It also revealed support from colleagues, including psychological support and financial assistance. The results of the study showed that organizations provide the following forms of support to employees with serious illness: financial assistance, psychological support, instrumental support, informational support, and adjustment of working conditions. The study also identified the difficulties faced by employees suffering from serious illness, which are related to their psychological state (shock, fear, uncertainty, fear of informing the employer), physical condition (lack of energy, reduced productivity), and finances (long-term sick leave, shortened working hours, lack of money, additional expenses). It also identified the challenges faced by organizations with sick employees, such as the search for new employees, lack of specialists, issues related to providing support, shock, increased attention, and reorganization of tasks. The missing forms of support for serious illness include psychological assistance (psychologist for the sick employee, psychologist for family members), financial assistance (financial aid, one-time payment, regular monetary allowance, medical services, transportation), and adjustment of working conditions (increased options offered, vacations). The most lacking form of support is financial assistance. The reasons why organizations support employees were also revealed – maintaining the company's reputation (social responsibility, image), retaining employees (employee loyalty to the company, microclimate), company culture (care for employees, humanity). |
