Case Study
Company integration management for a programmer

The programmer is 32 years old and has been working for eight years in an IT company with 47 employees. The company develops software for small and medium-sized companies with individual solutions. There is a works council, and the BEM is still in its infancy.

As the programmer is driving to work on a Tuesday in June, he is involved in a serious car accident. He suffers serious injuries and is immediately taken to the accident hospital for acute care. His company reports a commuting accident to the relevant employers' liability insurance association.

The programmer lies in a coma for three weeks. After his awakening and many neurological examinations, he is diagnosed with paraplegia. Soon after, medical rehabilitation is initiated.

Through empathetic conversations and after receiving a variety of support, the programmer learns to accept his situation. He slowly learns to use his remaining strengths wisely. He can no longer move his legs, but a Wheelchair and the strength of his arms make him mobile. The programmer has a strong will and was also a persistent and disciplined athlete before his accident. He is even faster than anyone else with his wheelchair and moves very skillfully. He is in constant contact with the Workers' Compensation Board rehab manager and with the assistive device counselor.

The programmer lives alone. Meanwhile, the sleeping area on the second floor of his apartment in a row house has been adapted to his needs.
Everything is being designed so that he can live largely independently. This includes a Stairlift, to get to the upper floor. The bathroom will be remodeled according to DIN regulations for wheelchair users, and all doors in the house will also be widened. The Kitchen will be accessible from underneath and equipped with height-adjustable wall units. The entrance area of the house, with previously two steps, will be built at ground level. His domestic situation will soon be handicapped accessible.

The programmer feels increasingly up to the demands of his new life; he wants to and can work again. But the environment at his old workplace is by no means handicapped accessible. The rehab manager encourages him. He is certain that there are solutions for this.

The IT company is located on the tenth floor of a twelve-story high-rise building that was built after World War II and is a listed building. To get into the building, three steps have to be climbed in the entrance area. There are two passenger elevators in the building that do not provide satisfactory space for a wheelchair. An existing old freight elevator is not permitted for passenger transportation. What to do

The Workers' Compensation Board's rehab manager organizes a site visit with the company, a representative of the building's management, someone from the Historic Preservation Board, and a technical consultant from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to discuss the situation on site. After some discussion about the feasibility, agreement was reached: The existing freight elevator would be converted into a handicapped accessible passenger elevator. In the entrance area, the sidewalk will be raised to level the floor so that wheelchairs can enter the building at ground level. A cost estimate will be obtained and permission will be sought to implement the alteration plans.

Changes are also needed in the immediate workplace. The entrance door to the office will be equipped with a automatic door opener. Of the three restrooms on the corporate floor, two have been consolidated and converted to a handicapped accessible WC. All doors will be inspected to ensure they are the required width for a wheelchair user. The programmer's workplace will have a lowerable Desk, which can be used to set up the individual's working height.

And how does the programmer get to work? A solution is found for this as well: He submits an application for motor vehicle assistance. A Car is converted for him and he passes a driving test for the new technology without any problems, which also includes the Wheelchair automatically stowed. After a short time, he also gets along well with getting into the car. The programmer is happy to be able to lead his life independently again and to be integrated into working life.

It goes without saying that it was and still is a very long road for the accident victim. Despair, pain and a lot of courage are part of this journey. Competent advice, support and material backing are necessary conditions for the success of a rehabilitation that changes the entire inner and outer world of the affected person to such an extent.

Above all, the day-to-day social and material conditions determine successful integration into society and into work processes. The programmer was and is in constant contact with the company and his colleagues. He was offered the opportunity to work at home during the necessary conversion work in the company. He was happy to accept the offer, although this is only a temporary solution for him, as he wants to use his workplace in the company like all other employees. With a slow reintegration into his everyday job, he can now test his resilience.

Thanks to the optimum medical care, which was at the forefront of all efforts, as well as his professional and social reintegration, the integration of the programmer into working life is highly likely to succeed here, with the support of the employers' liability insurance association.

This is a practical example from the Institute for Personnel Development and Coaching (ipeco) from the book: Das Betriebliche Eingliederungsmanagement - published by W. Bertelsman Verlag (wbv).