Interaction with Supervisors and Coworkers -- Qualitative versus Quantitative

Anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, the list goes on.  The etiology matters far less than the limitation posed.  We typically see an occasional contact with coworkers and supervisors and either no contact or occasional contact with the public.  That quantitative analysis (occasional) ignores the qualitative aspect that we sometimes see in a variation of superficial. 

The O*NET describes Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.  Of the 3,100 unskilled occupations, Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop has the lowest Importance ranking, 39.  That score falls at the very top of the somewhat importance ranking.  The O*NET suppresses the result on the Level scale.  Cutters and Trimmers, Hand is next on the list of having low importance for communicating with supervisors and coworkers, a score of 42, important.  The Level report scores a 45, more than double the level anchor of writing a brief not to other and relatively close to reporting of a sales meeting to a supervisor. 

Those are the lowest scores for unskilled work.  Every other communicating with supervisors and co-workers is higher.  Qualitatively, the world of work requires getting a passing grade in "plays well with others."  The agency knows this.  POMS DI 25020.010 reports that critical requirements of work include:

g.  work in coordination with or proximity to others without being (unduly) distracted by them.
j.   ask simple questions or request assistance.
k.  accept instructions and respond appropriately to criticism from supervisors.
l.  get along with coworkers or peers without (unduly) distracting them or exhibiting behavioral extremes.

These are some of the Mental Abilities Critical for Performing Unskilled Work.  These activities do not depend on periodicity, they depend on getting a passing grade in "plays well with others."  It isn't occasional, it is whether the claimant can perform those four activities on-demand, when the work environment requires it.  We have discussed the minimal or superficial contact problem as well as methods for cross-examining vocational experts.  

We must focus on qualitative not just quantitative aspects of workplace function.