Employees & Chronic Conditions — A Hidden Workplace Problem

A new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation says chronic conditions that employers are unaware of are harming productivity, job satisfaction and employee well-being.

“Though businesses may be generally aware that this issue affects their workforce, the day-to-day impacts on workers and their jobs are often hidden, obscuring the true need for support,” the report concludes.

The two groups took data from the U.S. Employee Perspectives on Managing Chronic Conditions in the Workplace survey to come to their conclusions. Here are some of them:

• A staggering 58% of employees in the U.S. say they have a physical condition that is chronic
• Of that number, 60% haven’t told their employer about the issue
• 75% of employees with chronic conditions need to manage those conditions at work
• 33% with chronic health conditions will skip a medical appointment, or delay getting care, to keep it from interfering with work
• 33% have missed opportunities for more hours or different projects because of their chronic condition
• 33% of employees say they have to help family members with chronic conditions
• 49% don’t think they can take time off work to treat a chronic condition
• 49% don’t think they can even take a work break because of a chronic condition

Most say their employers are somewhat supportive but a few say they are not very supportive of steps that can be taken to help manage a chronic health condition.

• 44% say their employer is very supportive of taking breaks to support a chronic condition
• 44% say their employer is willing to give them paid leave to take care of a chronic condition
• 37% say their employer is flexible when it comes to scheduling
• 27% are open to remote work to take care of a chronic condition

The report said the findings show there are “widespread and frequently hidden challenges” in today’s workplace.

“Further, many employees are also managing their family members’ conditions. There is a major opportunity for the business community to play a greater role in supporting employees with chronic conditions, improving their wellbeing and performance, while reducing costly problems like absenteeism and turnover,” the report concluded.

But will more employers lean that direction when chronic conditions are revealed?

“Creating work policies and practices that recognize caregiver responsibilities, reduce stigma through better employee support and improve workplace culture so employees are safe disclosing their conditions if needed may help create a healthier and more productive workforce,” the report added.

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