Managers have a responsibility to fulfil and play a key role in the workplace for an employee who has cancer.
An employee with cancer will be facing many issues and a manager can help to support them with any work concerns they have, such as job security and time off for medical treatment. Supporting employees who are affected with cancer can make a huge difference to them. They may not have cancer themselves but be supporting a close family member who has been diagnosed with cancer.
Initial steps
Policies - check they are up-to-date, this will include reviewing:
- The sickness absence policy, ensure long-term illness policy and procedures are clear. If you can be flexible and use discretion, for example, allow additional time off for appointments then this can help an employee to remain at work during their treatment.
- Flexible working. Temporary reduced hours and flexible working can really help employees with cancer and employees who are caring for a relative with cancer.
- Compassionate leave, for example, if an employee has been told a parent has very limited time left, offer them compassionate leave to spend time with them.
Training - provide training for managers, familiarise them with the process and how they can support a direct report, including making them aware of offering counselling through an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
Privacy - the majority of employees will share their diagnosis with their employer, this can help employers to support and manage them and make reasonable adjustments to their work. However, under the Human Rights Act 1998, employees are under no legal obligation to tell you about their diagnosis or give clinical details of their condition.
Disability Discrimination Act (now called the Equality Act) - applies to people with cancer or those who have had cancer in the past. This gives employees important rights which employers should be aware of. As an employer if you have not been informed by an employee about their cancer diagnosis you still have a responsibility to have reasonably done all you can to find out if an employee has a disability, which you can do through an effective absence management process.
It is important to have and promote a positive and open work environment, where employees feel empowered and safe to be honest to discuss medical conditions and other issues at work, without fear of job insecurity or being passed over for other opportunities.
Supporting an employee in the initial stages
Take the time to listen and encourage them to elaborate, this is a good way to glean information. Don’t try to interpret for the employee, let them go at their own pace and reiterate what they have said to ensure you have a clear understanding of the situation. Don’t assume they will not want to work, people will react differently, and some will want to remain working.
Clarify whether the employee wants other colleagues to be aware of their diagnosis. It is really essential that their privacy is respected. Ensure that any conversations you have are in a private location without interruptions. It is also important to be sensitive to information over load, being diagnosed with cancer is a lot to deal with and process.
Managers will need to appreciate that it is difficult to predict how treatment will affect an individual and will need to ensure that they can adjust work schedules over the course of treatment to meet the individual needs of an employee. Balancing between company procedures and the employee’s needs will need careful consideration. As will managing the impact of their workload on the rest of the team.
Be honest if they ask a question and you don’t know the answer, advise you will find out and get back to them.
Supporting an employee’s return to work
Having cancer will affect everyone differently, so keeping an open dialogue with employees during their absence and on their return can really help them. They may feel very isolated and out of touch if there is no contact during their absence. Employers should discuss with an employee how they would like to be updated, as whilst some contact is required it shouldn’t be intrusive.
If you are able to offer a phased return to work, then consider doing this. Are they able to work from home? These types of adjustments could really support their return to work.
Manage the workload of the employee, are there ways that the level of pressure or demand can be changed? Does any part of their role have duties that may need to be removed whilst they are in recovery?
Supporting employees with cancer in a supportive and empathetic way is crucial to demonstrating that your organisation genuinely cares about your employees.