Fostering Inclusion of Workers in Vulnerable Situations: Practices and Policies at Company-Level. Evidence from qualitative interviews in four countries: Norway, Germany, Romania, Poland

This working paper examines how company-level strategies intersect with national policy contexts to promote the inclusion of vulnerable workers across the three phases of employment: recruitment, career development, and retention. Using qualitative interviews with employers in Germany, Norway, Poland, and Romania, we explore how organisations respond to vulnerabilities related to health limitations and disability, age, and caregiving responsibilities. The qualitative data reveal both barriers and facilitators to inclusion at the company level. The analysis is guided by the premise that inclusive employment practices are shaped not only by national welfare infrastructures but also by how policies are interpreted and enacted at the workplace level through relational processes and strategic choices. The selected countries represent contrasting institutional legacies and welfare regimes, offering insight into how inclusion policies are implemented in diverse contexts. By examining employer perspectives across the four countries, we can highlight key similarities and differences in how inclusive employment practices are approached.