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Coping with cancer
The challenges of managing cancer in the workplace
Over 100,000 people of working age are diagnosed with cancer every year.1 With high numbers being affected annually, how can employers deal with this delicate matter in the workplace?
It’s likely that we will all be affected by cancer at some point, either directly or indirectly. In response to the high numbers of workers affected by and surviving the disease, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) set out to assess the impacts of this in the workplace in their study, ‘Working with Cancer’.1 In conjunction with the Working with Cancer (WwC) group and Macmillan Cancer Support, the results of the survey identified the need for advice and guidance on how to deal with the incidence and side effects of cancer in the workplace.
Insufficient provisions
Based on the replies from some 219 UK organisations who employ over 800,000 people in total, key findings from the survey revealed that 73% of employers do not have a formal policy in place for managing employees affected by cancer. A further 20% of respondents were not aware that, under the Equality Act 2010, cancer is classed as a disability.
Results showed that many of the organisations surveyed failed to provide adequate information or support for those affected by cancer, with only a third of companies willing to offer or pay for counselling services and give practical support within the organisation. Findings also show that line managers dealing with affected employees receive little or no support from the top.4
Help for companies
As a result of the key findings, the CIPD, Macmillan and the Working with Cancer group have produced a comprehensive set of guidelines to help employer and employees alike. Alongside practical advice, tips and information on how to support affected workers, they provide legislative assistance, case studies, references and a template for company cancer policies designed to support employees who are diagnosed with cancer. The template can be personalised to reflect the profile and policies within your organisation, with provision for family members diagnosed with cancer and employees who become carers.2
What can employers do?
Employees will all have different requirements and reactions, whether they are affected by cancer directly, or indirectly through the diagnosis of a family member or friend. Therefore, employers should treat requirements for time off with consideration and respect given to individual’s circumstances, be it for treatment or to care for another’s needs. Some thought or provision may be necessary to cope with the impacts of cancer on the rest of their team, and productivity levels during any absence.2
Being diagnosed or affected by cancer is stressful enough in itself. Should any employees within your organisation be diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan recommends a few simple guidelines to make life easier for all parties4:
- accommodating the time-off for treatment or to attend hospital appointments (whether this is paid time depends on the individual’s contract of employment)
- changing hours so that individuals affected by cancer can commute outside of peak travel times
- asking colleagues to be supportive and help reduce workplace demands
- finding a parking space nearer to the place of work and entrance
- making allowances for short breaks or a lie-down, as required during the day
- offering the flexibility to work at home, if possible
- reducing the physical demands for workings involved with heavy lifting or manual labour
Information that could help employees diagnosed with or affected by cancer:
- your flexible working/work adjustment/return to work policies
- their rights under the Equality Act
- details of private medical insurance policies
- details of any counselling, occupational health services or EAPs in place
- access to resources outside of your organisation (such as Macmillan, the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Cancer Counselling trust), including statutory benefits, specialist organisations and charity websites/helplines as appropriate
Advice on working with cancer is available at www.macmillan.org.uk/work; the CIPD survey report is available at www.cipd.co.uk, along with further guidelines for employers, HR and line managers.
The Bupa difference
With Bupa’s health cover scheme, reassuringly, all employees are covered for the condition. Our unique cancer cover promise provides for every stage of cancer diagnosis and treatment, without exclusion. In addition, Bupa is the only health cover provider to offer access to accredited networks of specialist treatment centres for breast, bowel and gynaecological cancers.
This means that members can receive quality care and treatment at specialty centres, when and where it suits them, to maximise recovery outcomes.
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1 (http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Livingwithandaftercancer/Practicalissues/Workcancer/Discrimination.aspx) Accessed 14 September 2011.
2 Cancer and Working, Guidelines for employers (pdf, 370Kb) HR and Line Managers. CIPD (in conjunction with CancerBackup and Working with cancer). Accessed 14 September 2011.
3 Working through cancer (pdf, 339Kb) – Macmillan Cancer Support -Accessed 14 September 2011.
4 (http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Livingwithandaftercancer/Practicalissues/Workcancer/Discrimination.aspx) Accessed 14 September 2011.
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