Charlotte Neal
Creating an inclusive, supportive and welcoming environment that enables employees to do their best work is at the heart of what we do as people professionals.
The 2024 HR Priority Report revealed the top 3 priorities for HR managers this year were to improve workplace wellbeing, maintain and improve employee morale, and attract talent. We all want happy, healthy teams of people who are engaged, motivated and not looking to leave. And achieving that means investing in a workplace that is truly inclusive for all.
However, recent data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlighted that the number of people in the UK who are ‘economically inactive’ due to long-term sickness has risen to a record high of 2.8 million. And it’s been widely reported this year that the number of adults actively leaving the workforce due to those chronic illnesses is at its highest rate since the 1990s. With the most recent UK census telling us that almost half the population has a long-standing health condition, there is a clear call to action for employers in the UK:
Focus on creating a more supportive workplace for employees living with chronic illnesses, or risk losing them and excluding a huge percentage of your external talent pipeline.
There is work to be done.
What is chronic disease?
Chronic diseases are long-term health conditions that require ongoing treatment or management. Also referred to as ‘chronic illnesses’, these conditions are broadly defined as lasting for 12 months or more and impacting a person’s everyday life.
Common chronic illnesses include cancer, respiratory diseases, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal conditions, mental health disorders, type 1 and 2 diabetes, epilepsy and cardiovascular diseases.
But there are so many more illnesses that affect people everyday of their lives and that can hold them back professionally due to the time off or extra flexibility required from their employers.
Chronic illness and work in the UK
ONS data tells us that the number of working-age people in the UK who report having a long-term health condition has risen significantly over the last 8 years. And while the coronavirus definitely accelerated this increase, the upward trend in long-term sickness started well before the pandemic. According to the Resolution Foundation, we’re in the midst of the “longest sustained rise” in the number of adults who are economically inactive due to ill health since records began 30 years ago.
The bottom line is that more employees – and even more potential employees – are living with a chronic disease.
And in a talent market that remains as competitive as ever, UK employers simply can’t afford to be complacent about introducing strategies to proactively support employees living with these types of long-term conditions.
The importance of supporting employees with chronic illness
In today’s landscape, being an ‘employer of choice’ encompasses more than just a high-quality benefits package and opportunities for career development. People want to feel truly appreciated by their employer, which means understanding their unique needs and contributions.
We already know that employees who feel genuinely appreciated and valued for who they are at work are 43% more effective. Under the skin of this lies the need for employers to foster a working environment that allows all of their people to thrive. And with the data telling us that more and more working-age people have health conditions that impact their daily lives, we need to be thinking about strategies that support these team members.
Employers that neglect the needs of such a large percentage of the workforce face a prognosis of low engagement, decreased productivity and increased staff turnover. Conversely, making it a priority to support those living with a chronic illness can bring some very real organisational benefits, including:
- A more positive workplace culture
- Improved employee retention
- Enhanced performance and productivity
- A reduction in workplace stress
The Equality Act 2010 and reasonable adjustments
On top of those benefits, it’s important to remember that UK employers have a legal duty of care under the Equality Act 2010.
The Act protects workers against discrimination, harassment or victimisation and includes the requirement for employers to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ that prevent disabled employees from being put at a disadvantage due to their health conditions.
It defines ‘disability’ very broadly, encompassing any physical or mental condition that has a “...substantial and long-term effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”. This means that the majority of chronic illnesses are likely to be officially recognised as a disability, and are therefore formally protected.
Reasonable adjustments might include things like:
- Flexible working hours
- Remote work
- Assistive technology
- Accessible workstations
- Mental health support
- Temporary changes of responsibility
How to support employees with chronic disease
On top of the legal obligations around preventing discrimination and providing reasonable adjustments, there are some key things that we can all do to create a more supportive environment for employees with a chronic disease.
There are two different areas to consider – inclusion, and wellbeing. Both need to be prioritised in order to create a supportive working environment for employees who have a chronic illness.
Cultivating an inclusive culture by prioritising diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and providing training on chronic conditions is imperative. It not only increases the level of awareness and understanding throughout the workforce, it also ensures that all employees have visibility of the support available to them. Line manager training is particularly important – it’s impossible to create an inclusive and psychologically safe environment if an employee’s direct leader is not empowered or equipped to provide the support that’s needed.
On the wellbeing side of things, there are two things you need to think about. Firstly, your company-wide employee health and wellbeing strategy. On top of supporting those who are experiencing a chronic illness, focusing on wellbeing might actually help to prevent other employees from developing some of these long-term conditions.
From a wellbeing perspective, having a strategy in place that caters for the needs of employees living with chronic illnesses is crucial. This strategy should offer everyday support alongside initiatives for times of crisis and preventative benefits
These preventative benefits can include cancer screenings, physical examinations and online access to GP appointments. The way these initiatives are communicated is also important, because an employee needs to know that something is available and is easy to access, with minimal to no cost involved, or else they simply won’t use it.
A great employee wellbeing strategy will typically include things like:
- Cancer screenings and other preventative medical programmes
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- Healthcare Cash Plan
- GP Appointments
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Discounted gym memberships
- Financial wellbeing support and guidance
- Mental health support
- Initiatives to support work-life-balance
- Wellbeing videos and resources
Implementing a resource such as our Wellbeing Centre can pull everything together in one place, putting all of your organisation’s wellbeing initiatives in the spotlight.
The second consideration falling under the wellbeing bracket are the different types of reasonable adjustments that can be offered to employees with a chronic illness. As we’ve already explored, every employer is required by law to provide these ‘reasonable adjustments’. But what counts as ‘reasonable’ will differ between organisations depending on things like the nature of the business and the employee’s role and responsibilities.
Managers should also be trained on and empowered to hold conversations with their employees regarding their wellbeing. You need to ensure your leaders are aware of the resources and tools available to them and their people for safeguarding and supporting their wellbeing. Organising manager training sessions and hosting these recordings and resources in an accessible online location can help upskill your people leaders to better support the needs of those coworkers who are chronically ill.
Some lines of work will also need to take extra measures when it comes to protecting the occupational health of their employees, as this can have a direct impact on chronic illnesses and prevent chronically ill employees from attending work. Workplace management is essential to ensure that the working environment is safe for your people and set up to support their wellbeing and needs.
Here are a few questions you should ask yourself to help guide you in managing occupational health for your chronically ill employees:
- Is remote working an option for their position?
- Would flexible working hours be possible?
- Can my organisation invest in assistive technology?
- Can my organisation invest in building more accessible workstations?
Be sure to maintain open and honest lines of communication between the employee, the line manager and HR when it comes to reasonable adjustments.
If you need any support in creating a working environment that focuses on inclusion and wellbeing, get in touch with our friendly team of experts to discover what our total employee experience platform can do for your organisation.
