Work Ability Management in Rehabilitation and Return to Work: A Perspective from Austria

The concept of work ability encompasses issues of individual workers’ abilities in light of their present job tasks taking into account the demands and resources that might be important in the future. Due to a rise in life expectancy in the EU, there has been an increase in the proportion of elderly workers. Aging workers put forth new challenges as aging is usually accompanied by chronic health issues and early exits from the labor market, which puts pressure on the social security systems. One of the ways to support social security systems is through reintegration of workers into the labor force (concept of “return to work”). Austria has been one of the EU member states recognised as having an inclusive return to work system with a strong emphasis on prevention. However, issues remain in lack of cross-policy communication and legislative framework. The following chapter provides an insight into the most common ways work ability is conceptualized, followed by a short analysis of the Austrian social insurance system with emphasis on issues of rehabilitation and return to work.