SIP Portugal meets companies to address impact of pain on employment

On March 20, the Portuguese Social Pain Platform (SIP Portugal) organized a meeting with eight companies from different sectors of activity to present measures that aim to promote the maintenance of work or professional reintegration of the person with chronic pain, in order to reduce absenteeism and presentism, as well as early retirement due to disability.

A Plataforma de Impacto Social da Dor na Sociedade Portuguesa (SIP Portugal) promoveu uma reunião com oito empresas de diferentes setores de atividade para apresentar medidas que pretendem promover a manutenção do trabalho ou reintegração profissional da pessoa com dor crónica, por forma a diminuir o absentismo e presenteísmo, assim como as reformas antecipadas por incapacidade.

Early retirement, absenteeism, presentism and job loss are frequent consequences related to chronic pain, and more than 30% of workers in Portugal are affected. SIP stakeholders are thus calling for concrete actions to improve the employability of people suffering from chronic pain. (Ana Pedro, SIP Portugal)

The meeting was attended by the companies Delta Saúde, Grünenthal, Nabeiro Group, Novabase, Novartis, Radio and Television of Portugal, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa and Teleperformance.

Of the measures presented, the following should be highlighted:

the adaptation and flexibility in full-time daytime jobs, in shifts, at night and / or with irregular shifts that vary between night and day;
the adaptation of the workstation and the promotion of ergonomic conditions; the possibility of doing work from home;
the bet on training and awareness about the problem of pain in the workplace but also the alert for stigma, discrimination and coercion at work;
the possibility of creating a support group for people with chronic pain within a company, without harming the work schedule, the employee and the employer.