Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is devastating for everyone involved. When you are an employer trying to support your worker, not breach privacy, keep the workplace safe and meet customer expectations it can all be a little overwhelming (although, nothing compared to what your worker is going through).
The following is drawn from my personal experience supporting workers with cancer and the advice on the Cancer Society website page Managing cancer in the workplace. Let me be clear, I am not a counsellor and this does not constitute legal advice, it’s merely a quick guide on how you can prepare and support everyone involved.
Before talking to your worker:
Find out the following:
- What medical and paid leave is available?
- Is there any insurance cover that may apply?
- Are there any other benefits that may be entitled to?
- If prolonged sick leave is required, what could a ‘return to work plan’ look like?
- Is working from home or job sharing an option?
Have a meeting and find out what is going on:
Have a meeting with your worker and explain the following:
- You want to support them throughout their journey and be as flexible as possible.
- Their privacy is paramount, and any information shared will be carefully managed.
- You can connect them with Workplace Support or an Employment Assistance Programme if they need additional external support.
- As everyone’s experience of cancer treatment is different, it will be important that you have regular meetings moving forward to ensure that everything is ok. In a safety critical operating environment, this is especially important to ensure that they and the rest of their team are kept safe.
Ask the following questions:
- What type of cancer is it?
- What type of treatment will be required?
- How long will the treatment likely take?
- What are the known side effects of the treatment?
- Who can you contact if they become unwell at work?
- Seek agreement on who will know about the diagnosis and how it may be communicated to them.
NB If in doubt always assume that the information is confidential.
Moving Forward:
Lines of communication need to be kept open and transparent. Many workers want to stay at work for as long as possible and find having a daily routine a relief. However; It is also important that a worker who is undergoing cancer treatment is closely supervised and doesn’t come back to work until they are ready, especially if they work in a high-risk environment. Here are some key issues that your worker may face.
- Fatigue and Short-Term Memory Issues: Some people receiving treatment can experience periods of extreme fatigue. The treatment may also cause temporary difficulties with things like short term memory, prioritising competing tasks and their ability to concentrate on detailed information.
- Heightened Sense of Smell: Strong smells may make your worker feel sick. Anything from a potent curry in the smoko room to industrial solvents may set them off.
- Depression and Anxiety: Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is a challenging process and erratic mood changes can cause tension within a team. You are not expected to be a therapist and you still need to ensure that the rest of the team does not feel bullied or harassed. Deal with any issues that arise early and make sure your worker understands the support services that are available to them.
If extended time off is needed, it is important that you discuss options with your worker before putting anything in place so they don’t feel disempowered.
You may consider re-distributing their workload, getting in a temp or part-time worker or even job sharing. It may help your worker to manage the transition if they are a part of the handover process (if it’s possible) so they feel like their role will be ‘looked after’ while they are away.
Establishing an effective return to work plan is also mission-critical, and to ensure that the worker is not overloaded with questions it may also be worth designating one specific person to keep the rest of the team updated on how things are going.
Looking after yourself and supporting other workers after a cancer diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis can affect everyone in a team, especially if they have been together for a long time. If someone has lost someone close to them to cancer their reaction to the diagnosis can also be heightened.
Check in regularly to make sure everyone is coping and they are not been over-worked due to additional duties.
Be supportive and take each day as it comes. Accept that your worker will go through a range of emotions, and so will the rest of the team….it’s normal and brave faces/fake smiles are impossible to maintain.
Other ways you can offer support: Relay for Life 2019
I‘m now unashamedly going to ask for your financial support. Next weekend I’m taking part in the 2019 Wanaka Relay for Life. Team Robinson will be raising money for the Cancer Society which offers support to cancer sufferers and their family and helps funds research into cancer treatments. We’ve already raised $363.47 and hope to make it to $500. If you would like to make a donation follow the link: www.relayforlifewanaka2019.everydayhero.com/nz/sarah-4
If you have anything to add on how to support a worker who has had a cancer diagnosis please email sarah@employmenow.co.nz or call 0272 007 680.
Have a safe and productive week,
SB