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How to look after employees affected by cancer

The structure, routine, independence and social aspects of daily work are all really helpful for people to help maintain a sense of normality and resilience. For these reasons it’s important for employers to create a supportive working environment to help encourage people to stay at, or return to work.
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Keeping up with working lives can be really beneficial for those who are affected by cancer. The structure, routine, independence and social aspects of daily work are all really helpful for people to help maintain a sense of normality and resilience. For these reasons it’s important for employers to create a supportive working environment to help encourage people to stay at, or return to work. Contributor Dr Steve Iley, Medical Director – Bupa UK.

Speaking to businesses, we know that people want to create a positive environment for employees who are affected by cancer, whether they are receiving treatment or have recently finished treatment. Although many of us will know someone who has being diagnosed with cancer, it can feel like a difficult topic to broach in the workplace. With this in mind, I’ve outlined my four pieces of advice below, which I hope will help to make our UK workplaces as supportive as they can be during a difficult time like cancer.

Be available
Being available and approachable is often more important than trying to say the right thing when someone is going through cancer treatment. The way people deal with it may vary, so let your employee decide how they want to talk about their experiences and their feelings. It may be that they do not want to talk at all, or they may really appreciate advice. Even if someone may not want to discuss how they feel physically or mentally, making it clear that you are willing to talk and support them can help to boost their morale, and that of the wider team as they become aware of the support that would be available to them if they were to need it.

Recognise what works for your employees
While work can be an incredibly positive experience for someone who is receiving cancer treatment, the pressure of keeping up with appointments and work deadlines can cause feelings of stress and anxiety.

Recognising their needs is just about putting yourself in their shoes and thinking about what would make their working day more manageable. This could be speaking to them and the wider team about deadlines and workloads and ensuring that there aren’t any tight or competing workloads. Or it could be simply letting them know that you are open to flexible working to allow them to fit their doctor appointments around work. Early occupational health advice can help you to support an employee who wants to stay or return to work as quickly as possible.

Take advantage of your internal communication channels
There are so many channels within organisations that can be used to help communicate your company’s wellbeing approach and start a conversation about cancer in the workplace. This could be done via the intranet, or the company magazine or newsletter, if you have one. Sometimes something as simple as posters in communal areas can be really valuable in providing educational material that gives someone the confidence to talk to an employee about cancer.

Consider offering employees easy access to health services
Early cancer detection can have a significant impact on someone’s chance of survival and reduce their need for complex and invasive treatment. However, with busy lives, many people can put off going to the doctor.

Offering employees convenient access to health services can give people peace of mind, or access to the appropriate treatment as quickly as possible which is why we launched Cancer Direct Access. It removes the need for a GP referral and allows colleagues to access specialist services within a week. The service provides access to emotional support at all stages, as well as medical support which can help a colleague to stay in work, or go back to their job as soon as they wish.

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