Post doc researcher Khadijah Kainat has received funding from Ami Foundation for her research examining hidden work disabilities among young immigrant employees in Finland. In her research she focuses especially on psychological and stress-related challenges that may affect a person’s ability to work but are not necessarily visible or openly discussed in the workplace.
What happens when an employee is able to work, but faces challenges that colleagues or employers cannot see?
This question is at the heart of Khadijah Kainat’s research project.
– I’m trying to understand these challenges from the young immigrant employees’ perspective. How do they feel about, or face disability issues while working with Finnish employers. How do the kind of challenges they face impact their ability to work.
Kainat sees the topic as particularly relevant as Finnish workplaces become increasingly international. For her, successful integration is not only about entering employment. It is also important to understand what happens after a person has found a job.
Personal experience and previous research shaped the topic
Kainat’s interest in the subject is connected to her own background. Originally from Pakistan, she came to Finland to complete her master’s degree and has lived in the country for almost ten years.
During her time in Finland, she has been closely connected with different immigrant communities and has heard about the challenges people experience when building a life and career.
– Hearing about people’s personal challenges made me think that this is something that should be researched. It is a very practical issue that people need to know more about.
Kainat’s research continues a path she began earlier in her academic career. Her PhD examined workplace challenges of immigrants, especially women, as well the challenges they face regarding integration and information seeking.
Her postdoctoral project takes the work-related perspective further by focusing specifically on hidden disabilities and work ability among young immigrant employees.
Research findings should reach workplaces
For Kainat, publishing academic research is not enough. She wants the findings to be useful outside the research community as well.
Kainat stresses that employers are one of the most important audiences for the project. Kainat therefore plans to involve employers in the research and, once findings begin to emerge, communicate these results through practical formats such as policy briefs, reports and workshops.
– I don’t want my research to stay on my desk. Of course I want someone to benefit from it, she says.
Kainat also identifies authorities and organizations working with integration and language education as potential target groups of the research results. Non-governmental organizations who work with immigrants, including women’s organizations, could play an important role in bringing the findings closer to everyday integration practices.
Khadijah Kainat has been awarded a 24-month personal research grant by Ami Foundation for her post doc research project at Åbo Akademi: Hidden work disabilities among young immigrant employees in Finland.
Familiarize yourself with the receivers of personal research grants in 2026 here: Vuoden 2026 henkilökohtaisten tutkimusapurahojen saajat.