London – UK, October 2024New research released today by Working With Cancer shows that HR managers are not well-equipped to deal with the complex issues of cancer and health in the workplace. 96% of respondents said that their company does not have cancer-specific policies, and only 18% collected data on how many employees had a cancer diagnosis.
The report Working With Cancer was produced jointly with the Institute for Employment Studies. It found that 78% of respondents said their line managers hadn’t received training on how best to support employees with cancer. 48% of respondents were concerned that their line managers would say the wrong thing. And 31% had no confidence in their ability to have difficult discussions.
Only half of the respondents (54%) knew about Access to Work and 25% reported that they did not understand disability legislation.
Despite the fact that organisations offer a variety of benefits to employees (the most common being flexible work (93%), employee assistance programs (88%) and referrals for Occupational Health (80 %)),), there are inconsistencies with how they communicate these benefits which can delay access to timely help. Access to physiotherapy (40%) health-related coaching (27%), and vocational rehabilitation (10%) was limited. However, these services can help employees with cancer return to work successfully.
Barbara Wilson, the founder and director Working With Cancer, stated: “In 2018, there were approximately 890,000 individuals in the UK with cancer who were working-age. This number is now likely to be around one million.” It is incomprehensible that businesses do not do more to prepare their employees. “Having clear policies and procedures for cancer patients will help them transition back to the workplace.”
Sir Stephen Timms is the Minister for Social Security and Disabilities and East Ham MP. “We need to have the right conversations, and ensure that people with cancer know about the support they can get, both from the Government (for example, through potential benefits like Personal Independence Payment) and their workplaces. The workplace must also know the best ways to support those with cancer. We will continue meeting and listening to people with cancer to better understand their needs and ensure they receive the help they require.”
The research was led by Dr Zofia Bjorek Senior Research Fellow, IES. She said, “While the research revealed pockets of good practices, it also showed clear gaps in employee support and management capabilities.” It is important that organizations implement best practices to ensure employees are able return to work environments where they can thrive.
Barbara’s conclusion: “The research showed that, although many organisations demonstrate areas of good practices, too many do not yet take into consideration the specific needs for the growing number of employees who work with cancer. Many organisations are not providing enough information, support and training to their HR teams and line managers. It is not hard to do, but you need leadership and willpower to make it happen.
Improving employer support for those working with cancer: The Bevan Report urges organisations to develop specific cancer policy, provide training to HR and line managers, and review existing employee benefits in order to better support employees who have long-term health conditions.
The first time this post appeared was on Human Resources News.
