Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Fit for WorkFit for WorkReturn to work and rehabilitationSickness absenceOccupational Health

Third of staff with cancer feel unsupported by their employer

by Ashleigh Webber 12 Nov 2019
by Ashleigh Webber 12 Nov 2019 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

One employee in three with cancer has not received sufficient support from their employer following their diagnosis, research has suggested, highlighting the need for employers to play a greater role in helping staff through this challenging time.

The research by employee benefits provider Unum also found that three-quarters of workers with cancer worried about how their families would cope with the loss of income if they had to give up work.

Cancer

Third of adults face increased cancer risk because of their weight

OH has a pivotal role to play in supporting employees through cancer

Twenty-eight per cent felt they did not receive support from their employer, or the support they received fell below expectations, when they returned to work.

The results were revealed at an event that highlighted employers’ role in supporting staff throughout their cancer “journey” – from diagnosis, through to treatment, recovery and return to work.

Delegates were told that an effective way of supporting staff with cancer was ensuring all guidelines and advice around how the employer is able to assist were available in an easily accessible place.

Cancer was the top reason for long-term sickness absence claims paid by Unum in 2018 and, according to Macmillan Cancer Support, around 125,000 working-age adults receive a cancer diagnosis each year.

Peter O’Donnell, CEO of Unum said: “As we live and work longer, the reality is that more and more of us will face a cancer diagnosis at some point in our working lives.

“Employers play an important role in supporting employees as they face the financial, emotional and professional obstacles a cancer diagnose can bring.”

Classic FM host Bill Turnbull, who has been battling prostate cancer since 2017, said: “It’s been two years since my diagnosis and my life has changed forever. While I’ve had my ups and downs, it’s been the support of those around me who have helped me, and this extends beyond my family and friends to include my employer and colleagues at work.

“I think being able to go back to work is a huge part of being able to feel normal again. It’s vital that employers understand how important the support they provide to their employees with cancer is in helping them cope and live with this disease”.

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and part of the Personnel Today editorial team. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport.

previous post
General election 2019: when politics and work mix
next post
Half of all FTSE 100 executive hires must be women to meet target

1 comment

Avatar
Madeline Calahan 16 Nov 2019 - 7:32 am

Cancer is not just a simple sickness where you can just give an employee a month break to recover from it and come back to work if you feel good, It will be a long journey a lot of things will come into play, Financial, Emotional, and Physical. Emotional support plays a huge deal with cancer patients. “Being able to go back to work is important to make the employee with cancer feel normal” this alone can help the cancer patient be emotionally and financially supported by their employers.

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Grants scheme set up to support women’s health...

16 May 2022

Crumbling school buildings ‘risk to life’ suggests leak

16 May 2022

‘Gulf War Syndrome’ caused by release of nerve...

13 May 2022

Workers feeing increasingly anxious, burnt out and fearful...

13 May 2022

Shift workers: knowing the diet-related health risks

12 May 2022

Majority unaware of long-term damage caused by stroke

12 May 2022

Three-quarters not meeting weekly exercise target

11 May 2022

Employers hindering return to work by failing to...

9 May 2022

Mental health still topping the concerns for employers

9 May 2022

Cost of living fuelling access ‘crisis’ in dentistry

9 May 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today