Agencies and Employers

95

Developing Relationships Between Vocational Rehabilitation

Agencies and Employers Nicholas

J. Buys, Griffith University, and Jocelyn Rennie, CRS Australia

he opportunity

~

to

New models of job placement have emerged over the last few years that focus on creating demand among employers for people with disabilities. Partnerships between employers and vocational rehabilitation agencies represent one of these approaches. This study investigated the factors that underpin the establishment, development, and maintenance of such partnerships. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with employers and vocational rehabilitation agencies currently involved in partnerships. The identified factors underpinning partnerships were similar to those obtained from previous research. However, it was also found that these characteristics may differ according to the stage of development of partnerships. Implications of these findings for rehabilitation counselor practice are discussed.

work has been

a

fundamental

right in Western societies and has been reflected in government intervention into labor markets since

the early 20th century. This right has included people with disabilities who have suffered considerable and sustained disadvantage in obtaining work. Government acceptance of a role in redressing this situation has resulted in the provision of vocational rehabilitation services (Brabham, Mandeville, & Koch, 1998; Danek et al., 1996). Over the past 60 years, billions of dollars have been spent on vocational rehabilitation programs. This expenditure has been justified on economic as well as social grounds, with proponents arguing that the vocational rehabilitation system has more than paid for itself (Smith, 1986) through reductions in social security payments and clawback through increased tax receipts. Recently, however, given the large expenditures for vocational rehabilitation services, their effectiveness has been questioned in both the United States and Australia (Australian Law Reform Commission, 1995; Ford & Swett, 1999; General Accounting Office, 1993; Gilbride, Stensrud, & Johnson, 1994; Weaver, 1995). For example, U.S. expenditures for vocational rehabilitation in 1991 came to more than $2 billion per year, yet only a third of clients accepted for services were closed in employment (Weaver,

1995). Furthermore, the durability of job placement outhas been questioned (Gibbs, 1990; Rubin & Roessler, 1995). comes

These criticisms have contributed to a debate about the utility of traditional models of job placement and have led to new models being postulated (Bissonette, 1994; Gilbride et al., 1994). Traditional approaches have tended to be &dquo;supply-side&dquo; models whereby clients are &dquo;matched&dquo; against an available supply of jobs. Gilbride et al. ( 1994) identified three primary traditional approaches. In the first approach, rehabilitation counselors provide placement assistance by contacting employers and supporting clients through the interview and placement process. The second approach involves the use of specialized &dquo;job search&dquo; officers to undertake the time-consuming tasks involved in cold canvassing and other methods of employer contact. In the third approach, contracted services are used to bring the vocational rehabilitation industry closer to business and employers. The American Projects with Industry (see Fraser, 1999) and the Australian Partnership with Industry models are examples of this approach. New models of job placement based on a marketdriven approach have emerged over the last few years in response to questions about the effectiveness of traditional

Downloaded from rcb.sagepub.com at Griffith University on March 14, 2016

96

approaches (Gilbride

et al., 1994; Gilbride & Stensrud, 1999). The &dquo;demand-side&dquo; approach differs from tradi-

velopment of partnerships. Furthermore, the research on partnerships has been restricted to a limited number of

tional models in that rather than &dquo;pushing individuals with disabilities into jobs, [it is] more concerned with creating a demand among employers, or pulling people with disabilities into the workforce&dquo; (Gilbride et al., p. 228). Establishment of partnerships between employers and vocational rehabilitation agencies is an example of the demand side approach because successful partnerships lead to employers seeking out clients of agencies to fill job

studies in the United States, which leads to questions about the generalizability of findings to other geographic regions and countries. The current study therefore attempted to answer the research question: &dquo;What are the factors that lead to the establishment, development, and maintenance of partnerships between employers and vocational rehabilitation agencies?&dquo;

Fabian, Luecking, and Tilson (1994) proposed this approach in response to concerns that traditional models of job placement focused too exclusively on the individual job seeker’s needs while neglecting the needs of employers. They defined partnerships in terms of five characteristics that reflected fundamental business principles. These were (a) trust, (b) existence of goals and objectives that are mutually beneficial, (c) long-term relationships between employers and agencies, (d) service competence, and (e) a customer orientation focused on satisfying employers. Fabian et al. (1994) argued that the partnership approach increased the likelihood of achieving successful job placement for people with disabilities because it reflected a focus on understanding employers, jobs, and the labor market. In this context it is more customer service oriented, an approach consistent with the major influences on the contemporary business world, such as Total Quality Management (TQM) (Deming, 1982). It is also a demand-side model of job development because through partnerships, agencies can &dquo;shape customer demand for their services ... making selling unnecessary because the end result is a willing customer&dquo; vacancies.

(Fabian et al.,

p.

27).

Research into partnerships between vocational rehabilitation agencies and employers is limited. Fabian et al. (1994) reported a number of case studies illustrating the successful development of partnerships between a rehabilitation agency and employers. Donovan and Tilson (1998) described the Marriott Foundation’s &dquo;Bridges From School to Work&dquo; program, in which 86% of all young people who successfully completed a Bridges internship received an offer of on-going employment. The program was based on the premise that to be successful, any &dquo;employment program must be driven by employer’s needs&dquo; (p. 16). Donovan and Tilson concluded that lasting relationships grow when the needs of one party are met by the capabilities of the other party, and it must be the needs of the employer that take precedence. Greenwood, Johnson, and Schriner (1988) conducted a study of employers to examine their interest in relationships with human service agencies. They concluded that employers have an interest in developing partnerships with &dquo;organizations that can meet their needs for qualified job candidates&dquo; (p. 12). Despite the intuitive appeal of the partnership approach, there has been minimal research into the de-

METHOD A

qualitative methodology consisting of semi-structured categorization of the data was First, the aim of the study was phenomenon (i.e., partnerships; Patton,

interviews and thematic

employed to

for

investigate

two reasons. a

1987) rather than to identify causal relationships among variables (Hagner & Helm, 1994). Second, an exploratory study using in-depth interviews was viewed as more applicable than testing hypotheses because of the lack of research literature in this area.

Participants Participants included both vocational rehabilitation agencies and employers. All agencies and employers were based in southeast Queensland, Australia. Identification of participants occurred through &dquo;snowball sampling&dquo; (Patton, 1990) whereby people working in the rehabilitation industry were asked to recommend &dquo;key informants&dquo; for the study (Patton, 1990, p. 176). Additional participants were included in the study until redundancy was reached, that is, until no new information was obtained (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). There were two criteria for inclusion of vocational rehabilitation agencies: (a) They must have established a strong business relationship with an employer for a period of 12 months or more, and (b) they must have placed at least two clients in employment with that same employer. Seven rehabilitation agencies participated in the study. Two were units of the Australian federal government vocational rehabilitation agency providing services primarily to recipients of social security benefits. Five agencies were not-for-profit agencies funded by the Australian gov-

provide competitive employment training placement services for people with disabilities. The

ernment to

and

agency

representative interviewed in each agency

was an

individual who worked directly in job placement and was therefore a key person in the partnership. Five employers were interviewed, four of which were identified as &dquo;partners&dquo; by agencies interviewed. Industries represented by these employers were timber products manufacturing, hospitality, beverage manufacturing and local government administration. Of the five employer


97

were human resource and the fifth was a site managers manager responsible for the selection of staff. In each case, the employer representative interviewed was the person with whom the agency had the working relationship.

representatives interviewed, four

issues arising from incongruencies. This technique has been viewed as assisting &dquo;in the development of both the design and the analysis of the study ... [and] foster[ing]

subsequent credibility&dquo; (Robson, 1993, p. 404). Data

Procedure

Data A semi-structured interview, composed of open-ended questions, was conducted with the participants at their place of work. This type of interview is consistent with the objective of obtaining rich, meaningful data reflecting the understanding of the various perspectives of the participants (Huberman & Miles, 1994). The semi-structured in-

chosen to provide enough structure to ensure covered with each of the interviewees and to minimize interviewer effects (Patton, 1987, 1990). Furthermore, it allowed the participants to develop a topic, to identify the issues, and to give an indication of the language used in their setting (Kidder & Judd, 1986). One researcher, who had extensive training and experience in interview techniques, conducted all interviews. The interview protocol was developed in accordance with Patton’s (1990) guidelines concerning interview content. All participants were asked the same questions, although not always in the same order, to ensure that the information obtained was sufficiently consistent to allow comparison between participants (Patton, 1987, 1990). Follow-up questions and probes were used as necessary throughout the interviews. The average duration of the interviews was 1.5 hours. Each interview began with an explanation of the research. The interviews were taped and later fully transcribed into hard copy. terview

was

all topics

were

Research An

Analysis

analysis

was

undertaken using

a

process

of open,

axial, and finally selective coding (Neuman, 1997; Strauss, 1987). All transcripts were read three times to ensure familiarity with the material, and on the fourth reading, open coding was conducted. This type of coding enables the researcher to identify a large number of themes from the mass of data. Such themes at this stage are at a &dquo;fairly low level of abstraction&dquo; and are derived from the initial research question, literature, and new ideas stimulated by the data (Neuman, 1991, p. 407). Open coding identified a large number of activities and issues contributing to partnerships. Axial coding was then conducted to enable collection of the identified themes under related headings by identifying which tended to cluster together and where linkages occurred between themes. Finally, selective coding was used to locate major themes and to locate particular cases that illustrated themes and provided comparisons and contrasts in the data. Selective coding resulted in the identification of several major themes that reflected factors underpinning partnerships between the agencies and employers. Throughout the process of analysis, notes were made against pieces of data to identify links between responses of various participants and to ensure that thoughts occurring during the coding process were not lost. Neuman (1997) described this as the use of the &dquo;analytic memo&dquo; (p. 425).

Integrity

adequate research design

must

attempt, in

a

RESULTS

system-

reduce the likelihood that &dquo;factors other than those reported as findings are the ’real’ answer to the research question&dquo; (Hagner & Helm, 1994, p. 298). In qualitative research this is achieved in a number of ways, including through use of the method of triangulation (Gliner, 1994; Hagner & Helm, 1994; Huberman & Miles, atic way, to

1994; Krathwohl, 1993; Patton, 1987; Robson, 1993). Triangulation was achieved in this study in several ways. First, there was an examination of partnerships from the perspectives of both agencies and employers. Second, the results were compared with other relevant research, particularly that of Fabian and her colleagues (1994) to enhance the making of &dquo;conceptual/theoretical coherence&dquo; (Huberman & Miles, 1994, p. 432). Third, peer debriefing between the researcher and experienced rehabilitation personnel was used throughout the study to provide ongoing checks

ported by

that perspectives and ideas were supanecdotal experience, and then to discuss any to ensure

Six primary themes 1.

a

were

commitment

to

identified from the data:

community responsibility

by employers; 2. competency in service

delivery by the reliability

agency in terms of responsiveness,

and consistency; trust between the agency and the employer; 4. a customer focus by agencies; 5. exchange of benefits between employers and agencies; and 6. extensive period of working together in an effective and satisfying manner. 3.

These themes were derived within a framework describing the establishment, development, and maintenance of

partnerships.


98

Establishment

of Partnerships

Both employers and rehabilitation agencies reported that the agencies made the initial contact through either cold canvassing or networking. Several factors influenced employers’ willingness to offer placements for people with disabilities. First, both parties identified that employers must have an orientation to assist disadvantaged people that is based not on sympathy, but on a sense of commu-

nity responsibility:

many

Development of Partnerships Once

.

agency and

employer commenced working toplacement, particular activities were identified as necessary for that partnership to develop so that further placements might occur. an

gether through

a

Professional Competence and Responsive Sup-

definitely not sympathy. I’ve never found an employer taking on somebody because of sympathy for their disability. I find the best employer has a genuine interest; they wanted to do something for people in general. It is

Second, agencies considered that

also underpinned the next phase of the relationship-the development of partnerships.

port Services. Agencies and employers viewed

an effective job match as the first step toward the development of a partnership. One agency commented that _

employers

if you do a good job match at the start, you find it is a positive experience for everybody, and you don’t get very many negative outcomes from them.

re-

quired financial incentive, often through government subsidies, to hire a person with a disability. For example, one rehabilitation agency commented: a

The

and hence the develto be related to the also seen partnership, level, quality, and responsiveness of agency services in terms of issues and problems related to the training and adjustment of the client in the work environment. For example, a rehabilitation agency stated: success

of that first

opment of a

While their heart is in the right place, they’d be foolish to do that. They are in business and they have to make money. Warm and fuzzy about it is just not enough, and that is what

they’re telling us. Third, agencies described the most successful approach to securing a placement as that which is customer focused, based on identifying and meeting the needs of employers. A rehabilitation agency gave as examples:

Visiting the workplace. Having a guided tour and getting a really good idea of seeing firsthand what the occupations were, the employer and the particular worker at the business as well. I guess being pretty open to discussing what their needs were and what type of people suit their business.

placement, was

Probably in this particular case, the most important thing is the constant contact. Not that they’re in there every day that this person is working, but the reassurance to the employer, that we were there if he needs any support. That is what I feel made this job work. He knows he can just pick up the phone and say, &dquo;Hey, I am having a bit of a problem. Have you got any suggestions?&dquo; Or he could ask us to come down, and he knows that we will do that. ’

Employers expressed port, with

one

an

.

.

’

appreciation of this level of sup-

stating,

Employers valued this approach, with one stating, We’d

them

If there was any problem with any of the employees, we could basically just ring them [the agency] up, and they would come out straight

fully understand our business so they are not wasting our time by sending us people who are just not going to fit. want

to

In summary, the initiation of partnerships

was

facili-

tated

through an employer orientation that focused on being a &dquo;good corporate citizen.&dquo; This translated into employers’ willingness to hire people with disabilities. Financial subsidies were also a key factor in encouraging employers to agree to a placement, and a customer orithe part of the rehabilitation agency was crucial to ensuring that employers’ needs were met. This last theme (i.e., customer orientation)

entation

viewed

being

as

and assist us. I don’t think we could employ people with some serious disabilities if the agency’s support wasn’t there. away

Several employers indicated that poor performance in the area of support services would result in their withdrawal from the partnership. For example, one employer commented : ’

.

on

For any agency, if they don’t

provide support, they are not going to last long. Their relation-


99

ship with us is not going to last long, especially when we are talking people that need that extra

help.

Value-Added &dquo;Business&dquo; Services. The provision of additional business services to employers by agencies contributed to the development of the partnership.

Some agencies provided staff awareness training on disability issues, often informally, which employers appreciated. For example, an employer stated: A lot of people in

a

where, they’re

exposed to people in their

not

work organization

or

any-

daily lives who are very different from them, and

so

if someone is very different the whole

requires assistance to relate to that perAnd in our organization, our managers

team son.

don’t

always have time

to

..

provide any assis-

and the .... organization I dealt with, they handled all that. They said don’t worry about all that, we will explain to people the differences, and they did. tance

Reducing

the

employer’s required

commitment

’

to

Integrity. Both agencies and employers considered integrity to be an essential part of a successful partnership. Although neither party defined integrity, it was reflected in statements about expertise of partners, honesty in communications, clear expectations of partners in relation to each other, and a commitment to the relationship. For ex-

ample,

one

employer noted,

The communication has been really open and frank. I think that is really a big issue. All expectations are laid out. In summary, the development of partnerships beyond the establishment phase relied on agencies demonstrating a high level of professional competence and responsiveness in relation to client placement and follow up. The ability of agencies to provide additional services to employers beyond placement services enhanced this relationship. Furthermore, it was recognized that there was a mutual obligation on the part of employers to develop the partnership and that this occurred through honesty in communication and commitment to the relationship. Not surprisingly, some of these themes were integral to the maintenance of partnerships.

training time and therefore saving money was also viewed as a

significant benefit. As one

agency stated:

I think

they see us as a sort of go-between. Maybe in the beginning it is more of an educational role. They might be a little wary about employing people with a disability to start with, and we provide all the training to the person so the employer is not having to spend extra time training, making sure the person is integrating properly and all that sort of timeconsuming, like money-oriented issues. Agencies recognized that their skills and abilities in the areas of job creation, design, and modifications could be used

to

both assist their client and enhance the service

to the this assistance:

provided

employer.

One

employer acknowledged

One agency offered us government funding to alter our workplace to adjust to some other people with special needs we have working.

Overall, agencies were clear about their role in supporting the business activity of the employer, with one comment-

Maintenance

of Partnerships

The maintenance of partnerships could be summarized in terms of four major themes: time, service provision, trust, and reciprocal benefits.

Time. Both agencies and employers identified a need for an extended period of commitment over time during which the parties work together. Agencies found that time in a partnership enabled them to develop a reputation for quality and expert service. One agency commented : I’ve had a few employers I have been working with since I joined the agency .... I can just pop down there and see how things are going even though I might not have someone placed in a job there. It is more to keep up the contact, and I know they’d ring me if they had a vacancy there.

Employers acknowledged that they are more likely to continue with agencies with which they have had a long-term relationship. For example, an employer stated, always be sure it is going to work out the first time, but we are going to persevere with another person who will fulfill this role. You can’t

ing,

virtually guarantee productivity ... we will continually improve the training methods and teaching to that client and back off gradually as the productivity is gained by the client.

We

Service Provision. Maintenance of high levels of delivery by agencies was viewed as a demonstra-

service


100

tion of their

integrity by employers and contributed to the development of trust. This included intensive monitoring of clients who were currently employed and on-going sup-

Some employers reported that indirect benefits were gained from employing people with disabilities. These included (a) improved workplace culture because they were

both employers and clients. For example, stated: ployer

seen as

port

to

one em-

caring employers, (b) improved public image, (c) increased publicity, and (d) increased business. Re-

lated to this was the informal marketing that occurred for both agencies and employers. In one situation an employer advised their networks about the good service being provided by the agency, which led to additional

Their support people came in and worked with us, determined what sort of a job was going to be suitable for their people. They learnt the job themselves and then came to work every day and supported them in their position until such time as they could do it on their own.

their

own

abilities, stating, We have been able to sell that we’re in favor of employing people with disabilities. It has helped us win [business], we use it as a PR tool in our corporate magazine if and when

Trust. Trust was described as a product of good sertime and was highly valued by agencies and employers. As one employer commented: vice

In another, an employer actively publicized involvement in the hiring of people with dis-

placements.

over

’

necessary.

When I speak to [Ms. X], I can say things to her which I probably shouldn’t say, and she can say things to me that she probably shouldn’t say, but because of that relationship there, it is a relationship of trust and credibility.

Reciprocal

Benefits. Where

an

agency and

Another indirect benefit was the development of social relationships. Both agencies and employers reported that their interactions became more relaxed over time and that they enjoy the &dquo;personal&dquo; aspects of the longer term relationship. An employer commented: an

more personalized with the that we deal with. One really lovely agencies is the were invited to their [office] [we] thing for lunch. They cooked lunch and prepared it, and we went over there and we got a tour of what they do.

We’ve become

employer have been working together for a period of time. there appeared to be benefits over and above those that led to the initial development of the partnership. The major benefit for the agencies in a partnership was the opportunities for further jobs with employers:

,

It is usually the ones that we have had the longer relationship with [who will contact us when they have a vacancy]. Sometimes repeat employers [are the ones] that have had a couple of people through and like the way that we

work.

Employers concurred with this view, with one making the comment:

But when it arises that there’s a vacancy, that I need somebody, I say have you got anyone around. That is why I never have to look anywhere else.

In summary, the maintenance of partnerships was a function of several factors, particularly time. Partnerships were not established overnight. It was apparent that longterm relationships allowed for the establishment of trust and respect in terms of service delivery competence. Notions of reciprocity also were identified, in the sense that the partnership was &dquo;good&dquo; for both parties, and that over time, indirect benefits accrued to each partner from the ongoing nature of the relationship.

DISCUSSION of this study indicated a number of charof successful partnerships between vocational rehabilitation agencies and employers. These were (a) com-

The

findings

acteristics

A

good partnership with an employer can also lead to other business for the agency. For example, one agency stated: .

The

employer actually contacted [this agency] a package [and] to do some training first of all with occupational health and safety with ... staff and secondly, to write a package to

write

and

a

manual.

munity responsibility by employers, (b) competency in delivery by agencies, (c) trust between both parties, (d) business orientation/customer focus by agencies, (e) exchange of benefits between employers and agencies, and (f) a long-term satisfactory relationship.

service

Significantly, the last five factors were consistent with those identified by Fabian et al. (1994), adding to the generalizability of partnerships in terms of their un-


101

derlying characteristics. However, it was also found that a &dquo;sense of community responsibility&dquo; by employers was critical to the establishment of partnerships. Employers and agencies stressed that this community responsibility was not based on sympathy. Rather, it was comparable to the notion of &dquo;community-oriented capitalism&dquo; (Handy, 1997), whereby a role of employers is to help build better societies and communities, not through charity, but through encouragement of &dquo;social entrepreneurs&dquo; like rehabilitation agencies. Fabian et al. (1994) did not identify this as a factor, but alluded to its importance in discussing the idea of a corporate culture and the value of inclusion, whereby people from diverse backgrounds are valued for their difference. Perhaps the major finding of this study was that the characteristics required for successful partnerships may differ according to their phase of development. In the establiShment phase, a sense of community responsibility was critical to employers’ being willing to provide a placement for a client. Such an orientation was not guaranteed by the existence of formal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies. It was more related to a general commitment by employers to support the people in their local communities.

Other key factors in this phase included the availability of financial incentives and a customer focus on the part of the agency. Financial incentives, primarily govern-

subsidies,

usually arranged by agencies as an employers to give people with disabilities to be trained into jobs. Such incentives opportunities were therefore a means of &dquo;opening doors&dquo; for agencies and facilitating the establishment of relationships with employers. Targeted Jobs Tax Credits, On-the-Job Training subsidies, and Job Training Partnership Act training ment

were

enticement for

dollars have been used in the United States for this purpose (Fabian et al., 1994). Customer focus, which Fabian et al. described as a customer service orientation, was identified as essential to the establishment of a partnership. Agencies that met the needs of employers for productive employees and recognized the importance of working with and for the employer in a business framework were able to move the partnership beyond the single job placement. It was also evident that a customer focus plays an additional role. Agencies and employers stated that it contributed to the development of trust, an essential ingredient in the development and maintenance of

partnerships. The development phase

of partnerships consisted of characteristics related to but different from those of the establishment phase. Professional competence was viewed as necessary for the growth of partnerships beyond the single placement. This included the provision of relevant disability-specific information, knowledge about the functional impact of disability on the employers’ workplace, and the ability to resolve problems as they arose. Respon-

siveness was also important to the notion that service

to

employers and was linked

organizations, such as vocational rehabilitation providers, should be in the business of satisfying employers at all stages of the service delivery process. Employers viewed as essential the provision of intensive support services to resolve problems arising from the placement. Where follow-up services were not provided, some employers indicated that they had terminated relationships with rehabilitation agencies. Other characteristics of the development phase were the provision of value-added business services and integrity. Business services were identified by the agencies as activities they provided to support the business of the employer, some of which were not directly related to a particular placement. Agencies believed that these practices offered the quality and productivity controls that made their products and services attractive to organizations, a view supported by employers. Such services included disability awareness training and advice on job accommodations and work site modifications. Integrity was also important to the development of partnerships. Integrity can be described as credibility that provides a sense of security in the expertise and commitment from the other party to the partnership and stems from open communication and the mutual regard for the expertise of both parties. Time, service provision, trust, and an ongoing exchange of benefits characterized maintenance of partnerships following their successful development. These factors provided the impetus and desire to remain in the partnership. Time was viewed as important because it allowed both employers and agencies the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and commitment over the long term, and therefore to develop trust in the other partner. Agencies demonstrated this characteristic through their continued visits and phone calls to the employer even in the absence of a current placement. Time reflected the view of Fabian et al. (1994) that a &dquo;quick in and out ser-

likely to sustain lasting relationships&dquo; (p. 18), long-term relationships are required to build partnerships. Not surprisingly, on-going provision of responsive, competent support services was also required for maintaining partnerships. Trust, a characteristic of most successful partnerships vice is not

and that

in the business world, was based on mutual satisfaction of the partners’ needs and expectations, as well as honesty and understanding. For example, agencies wanted employers to both acknowledge those situations they could not solve and contact them before the problems became insurmountable. Employers, on the other hand, wanted agencies to respond quickly and effectively to calls for assistance and to deal with issues in a way that met the needs of both the individual and the workplace. For partnerships to continue, both parties had to perceive ongoing benefits, both direct and indirect. A direct benefit to the agency was increased placements, while for


102

employers,

it

was a

supply of trained, productive workers.

However, indirect benefits were of equal importance given the fact that employers could obtain productive emways other than employing people with disabilities. Indirect benefits for agencies included increased business through employer references and satisfied funding sources. For employers, indirect benefits included marketing opportunities, better public relations, and a culturally diverse workforce. These benefits appeared to be highly valued by employers. Finally, the establishment of social relationships is a significant benefit to both par-

ployees through

durable employment and career development for people with disabilities. These are major issues facing the vocational rehabilitation industry. Established partnerships offer agencies opportunities to access the &dquo;hidden&dquo; job market. Agencies often believe they have achieved success in this area when employers come to them with their job vacancies. Research should be conducted to identify the extent to which partnerships have led to increased access to the hidden job market.

Limitations

ties in the

Study

Implications for Practice

There are a number of limitations with this study. First, the research was confined to a small group of employers and agencies in one heavily urbanized area of southeast Queensland in Australia. Larger samples across a range of geographical regions are needed to examine the generalizability of the findings. Second, although seven rehabilitation agencies were interviewed for the study, only four

partnership, reinforcing findings that good interpersonal relations are important work goals for individuals (Szymanski et al., 1996). and Recommendations

Partnerships offer the vocational rehabilitation industry a model of practice that can lead to increased opportunities for jobs for their clients as well as a rewarding alternative to the &dquo;Beg-Place-Pray&dquo; model of placement. As a potential demand-side model of placement, it can lead to employers’ using the services of agencies to fill vacancies. However, it requires rehabilitation counselors to understand both how partnerships are developed and maintained, and the basis on which business partnerships are established. Taking advantage of opportunities to establish partnerships requires service providers to be aware of trends in the labor market and to identify companies with a culture that encourages diversity. Rehabilitation counselors will need to find ways to assess whether employers have inclusive values and a sense of community responsibility, and how this might be &dquo;tapped&dquo; to place clients. They will also need to be fully conversant with the range of &dquo;financial carrots&dquo; that are incentives for employers to take on people with disabilities. In developing partnerships, rehabilitation counselors need to be aware that there must be an exchange of value over a period of time and that this needs to occur within a milieu of trust based on a customer, not a welfare, focus. Finally, counselors should recognize that the development of partnerships is cyclical, not linear, in that trust leads not only to benefits, but also to further opportunities for exchanging value. The context in which partnerships develop suggests that rehabilitation counselors will need a business orientation in their work that includes a desire to understand the needs and expectations of employers, as well as current business practices and philosophies. Training of rehabilitation counselors in these areas requires attention as educational offerings lag behind despite calls for changes to curricula (Boggs & Growick, 1994; Gilbride et al., 1994). It is also recommended that investigation be undertaken into the opportunities that partnerships offer for

partners agreed to participate. This raises questions about the credibility of some of the data because in three cases only &dquo;one side of the story&dquo; was obtained. Third, it could be argued that this study was somewhat biased in that only employers and agencies that had established working relationships were included in the study. It may be that agencies and employers that were in the process of establishing partnerships could have raised factors different from those identified in the current study. Finally, this study did not examine the quality and durability of the job placements for clients. If partnerships are going to be used as exemplary approaches to job placement, then it is important that outcomes for clients in terms of job satisfaction and job tenure be investigated. As a demand-side approach, there is a danger that employers could use partnerships to fill temporary job vacancies that nobody else wants because of the nature and brevity of the work. Further research needs to address this issue if vocational rehabilitation systems are to evaluate and encourage job placement approaches that achieve quality outcomes for clients.

corresponding employer

CONCLUSION demand-side approach, partnerships enable a degree of mutuality in the labor market whereby agencies can influence placement rather than being passive recipients of the pool of residual jobs. In this context partnerships repAs

a

refreshing approach to job placement, whereby the skills and abilities of people with disability are sought, resent a

and agencies can move from a welfare to a business approach. The formation of partnerships does not occur overnight. It requires vocational rehabilitation agencies to be prepared to invest time and resources into building


103

relationships. Understanding how partnerships are developed and maintained is an important step in this process. ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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(1), 33-43. 34 Gilbride, D. D., & and system 329-339. ment

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