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Supporting Cancer Survivors in the Workplace

With cancer rates among under-50s increasing by 24% since 1995, young professionals are facing unique workplace challenges. Despite legislation like the Equality Act 2010, 71% of UK workers with cancer fear disclosing their diagnosis. Best practices for HR include clear policies, open conversations, return-to-work dialogues, leader training, and fostering empathy.

This article was written by Barbara Wilson and published in Workplace Insight.

Cancer rates in under-50s have surged by 24 percent since 1995, despite common misconceptions that it primarily affects older generations. With this alarming increase, more young professionals are being diagnosed and returning to the work in the midst of their treatment and recovery. The growing number of people, especially young people, working with cancer creates a new challenge for HR leaders: are their organisation adequately supporting people? And what truly constitutes best practice in this context?

The sad reality is that although there is legislation designed to protect employees with cancer, like the Equality Act 2010, 71 percent of UK workers with cancer still fear telling their colleagues about their diagnosis. And 40 percent of people with cancer have used their annual leave for medical appointments, rather than telling their employers they are undergoing treatment.

The fear that comes with disclosing a diagnosis is largely due to the stigma that still exists around the disease and the lack of open conversations about cancer at work. So, while employees that choose to come back are often coping with massive physical and mental challenges, they must also face fears of prejudice or ignorance from colleagues and managers.

Workplace challenges can be even harder for individuals with treatable but incurable cancer. Many people choose to continue working to maintain a sense of normality in their lives and can do so successfully for many years after their diagnosis. Fostering broader understanding of the challenges they face and creating support structures are vital to ensuring these individuals can work effectively and avoid the unnecessary stress of workplace stigma.

And yet, there are still too many employers that are not helping, despite their best intentions. They tend to underestimate the experiences of their employees who have or are still navigating their journey. A common misconception is that employees with cancer may no longer want to continue their career in the same way or that they are incapable of handling everything they could do before.

Cancer is difficult. It can be isolating to the individual, creating fear of discrimination or judgment but it is also a challenge to business leaders who must suddenly provide a level of support they may not be prepared or trained for.