How someone may feel after a cancer diagnosis, and how to support them at work
How someone may feel after a cancer diagnosis, and how to support them at work
When someone receives a cancer diagnosis, they’re likely to experience an overwhelming range of emotions – including worry around how they might cope at work. Having a good understanding of what they’re going through, along with knowledge of how to support them in the workplace, can make a great deal of difference to their life – both in and out of work.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- How an employee might be feeling after their diagnosis
- How this might impact them at work
What support Reframe can provide to your employees - What adjustments you might need to make to support an employee with cancer
How an employee might feel after diagnosis
No matter how a person reacts to their diagnosis, it’s completely normal to have lots of different thoughts and feelings. Naturally, their first concerns will usually be for their family and home life, but then their attention will often turn to work, and what might need to change.
How a cancer diagnosis can impact someone at work
It’s very natural for people to find it hard to concentrate following a cancer diagnosis; if that’s the case, you should take steps to help reduce their workload – or at least, the complexity of their work. It’s highly possible that all they will be able to think of is their diagnosis and upcoming treatment.
It’s important to remember that a diagnosis will affect everyone in different ways: for some, they may be so emotional that even the thought of being around others proves too much for them. Working from home or reducing their hours can be helpful – particularly as tiredness is a common symptom of cancer.
How you can support your employees
You should allow your employee time to digest their diagnosis and deal with it in a way that’s right for them. Some people welcome the distraction of work, while others may want to take immediate leave to be with their loved ones. Remote or flexible working, along with reduced hours and workload, can be helpful at this time, but it’s important to ask your employee want they want.
We always encourage patients to be open with their employer from the start, and to state what they want to do when it comes to work; the same goes for informing colleagues about their condition. You should take your employee’s lead on who they want to know about their diagnosis. If they’re happy for their team to be told, do make your other employees aware that this should not be talked about with the employee unless they specify that it’s okay to do so.
How Reframe can support your employees
Reframe nurses can listen to what your employee has been told at their diagnosis, talk them through all of the confusing terminology, and help them to understand what the potential next steps will be. People often feel lost and confused until a treatment plan is put in place: we’re here to assure them that this is completely normal. We’re also here to provide constant reassurance that our nurses will be by their side throughout their entire cancer journey.
We are also here to support you, if you need guidance on how to best support your colleague through cancer – including how to make reasonable adjustments at work, or having sensitive conversations about cancer.
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