Two in five people with less visible disabilities have hidden them from their employer, which could be fuelling ‘presenteeism’ and potentially damaging their long term health, according to healthcare provider Bupa.
Its research, published ahead of the International Day of People with Disabilities this weekend (3 December), found that 43% of people with a disability that is not immediately apparent have avoided telling their employer about it, which could be exacerbating their health condition.
For example, 55% of those who had hidden their disability have worked while feeling unwell, 26% had taken holiday to attend a medical appointment, and 23% had given their employer another reason for being unable to work.
Reasons for not wanting to tell their employer included not wanting to cause a fuss (30%) or be treated differently (25%), and fears they would not be believed (23%). One in five suggested that disclosing their disability might have an impact on their career.
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Carlos Jaureguizar, CEO for Bupa Global & UK said: “It’s worrying that people with less visible impairments feel they must hide their health conditions from their employers. Employers have a responsibility to create an inclusive and supportive environment that allows their people to be open and agree ways of working that meets the requirements of their role, while also providing support to manage their health needs.
“A happy, productive workforce is good for people and helps to shore up businesses against short and long-term challenges, which is crucial in today’s climate.”
The survey involved 626 people with disabilities, 323 of whom considered their condition to be never or rarely visible. An estimated 10.2 million people in the UK have a less visible or invisible disability.
There has been a push for employers to report on their disability employment figures in order to tackle issues such as the disability pay gap and support for people with long-term health conditions, but reporting remains voluntary.
Research by Group Risk Development (GRiD), an industry body for the group risk protection sector, found that almost half (46%) of employers do not report on the number of disabled people they employ.
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD said: “If and when reporting is made mandatory, it is likely to be for larger corporates initially, but all employers need to have an understanding of the number of people they employ with a disability or long-term health condition as the perceived wisdom is that what gets reported gets done.
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“There is likely to always be under-reporting as not all disabilities are immediately obvious. Employers may believe that they have a good grasp on how many people with a disability they employ, but those with a ‘non-visible’ or ‘hidden’ disability, such as a mental health condition, diabetes, or autism, could be overlooked.
“Many employees don’t want to disclose their condition or don’t see themselves as having any particular need that shouldn’t be addressed by their employer wanting to ensure that everyone they employ is enabled to do the best that they can.”
