BACKGROUND: Previous research has tended to focus on the barriers to employment for people with mental illness and the extra support they may need. This research contributes to the knowledge base pertaining to this population by looking at successful employment relationships in New Zealand. OBJECTIVE: To describe factors enabling and/or sustaining the open employment of people with experience of mental illness. METHOD: Fifteen pairs of employers and employees were interviewed individually but consecutively (using a semi-structured interview schedule) about their perceptions of the critical factors that enabled and sustained the employee's employment. Employee participants were recruited by advertisement, with employers approached through their employees. Transcripts were analysed using a thematic analysis. RESULTS: Themes raised in the interviews included the meaning of work, disclosure of mental illness, the benefits of working, special arrangements or accommodations, the work environment and key things employers and employees do to sustain successful employment. CONCLUSION: Four critical success factors were identified relating to disclosure, the employment relationship, freedom from discrimination and workplace flexibility.
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