In the UK, 1 in 3 people living with cancer are of working age according to the MacMillian foundation. In practice, this means that the human resources (HR) department of a large organisation may see more cancer diagnoses in a year than the average GP.
Whilst awareness days, such as World Cancer Day, can serve as great reminders for employers to ensure those diagnosed with cancer have access to the right support in their workplace, providing continuous support beyond those dates is key to ensuring staff are looked after effectively when it comes to cancer.
With the added strain that the pandemic has brought on public healthcare services, more emphasis has been put on the access to private healthcare services that organisations and healthcare systems, such as trust funds, can offer businesses to support their employees through their experience of cancer, helping them either remain at work should they wish to, or return to work after treatment.
Looking at cancer as an ongoing disease
With the advances in drug therapy leading to a decrease in such side effects, over 85 per cent of cancer patients now feel that it is important to continue to work during and after treatment. The approach of organisations to cancer in the workplace must, therefore, go beyond a simple health checklist of provisions to focus on continuity of care and proactive support for employees.
As an employer, it’s important to offer both practical support and access to relevant information for people who are diagnosed with cancer and provide them with guidance and meaningful solutions that can help them at an individual level. The onus is on employers and healthcare providers to think about solutions holistically and to understand what employees will need and how they want their diagnosis to be managed, to provide them with the right support system in the long term.
Providing practical support
This support can start with fostering an environment of open communication, where employees can feel comfortable to ask questions and are aware that they can refer to someone within the workplace if they want to discuss their situation before, during, and after treatment. It can then be important to arrange regular catch-ups with employees to keep up to date with how they are feeling, how they are managing with work and if there are any other support measures that can be put in place to ensure they can continue participating in their work life.
Employers should also be thinking about ways they can actively engage with their staff to provide them with the right information and referral systems, as someone with a cancer diagnosis will likely have a lot on their mind and might not be aware of the processes in place to support them. In that sense, providing all relevant information to them in writing allows them to access the information at their own pace, whilst ensuring they have all the documentation they need. Reasonable adjustments such as relocating an office to the ground floor to facilitate access, extending work from home policies, or ensuring access to a healthcare referent they can call in case they feel unwell, can also be considered.
Other initial discussions focusing on the financial implications of a cancer diagnosis, including things such as pay, sick leave entitlement, as well as any available benefits that employees might be eligible for, should also be raised. In cases of advanced diagnosis, and depending on the individual, funeral costs and other family compensations may also need to be discussed.
Implementing a comprehensive and tailored approach
With practical steps and comprehensive policies implemented through a trusted healthcare provider, organisations can take care of their employees and guide them through their cancer journey on an almost case-by-case basis.
The ability to get such a tailored approach to employees can especially be important for organisations when it comes to gender-specific issues such as breast cancer or prostate cancer, where personalised provisions can affect the kind of support systems in place within the workplace. For a population of workers that are mostly female for example, screenings, access to specialists, and awareness towards female-specific cancers are all services that can benefit an organisation’s ability to support its workforce efficiently.
But having a standard PMI provision is no longer enough to respond to the individual needs of employees, and taking care of staff requires comprehensive and tailored policies as part of an overall healthcare plan. When it comes to the huge health challenge that is cancer, prioritising staffs’ wellbeing and health throughout their journey is key for employers wishing to encourage a happy, engaged, and safe workforce.