Travel bosses have been urged to introduce a cancer policy for employees, as research reveals one in two people will be diagnosed with the condition in their lifetime.
In an October 2024 survey, Working with Cancer found that only 4% of the UK companies surveyed had a cancer policy in place.
A quarter of HR managers also reported a lack of understanding of the Equality Act 2010, which legally protects employees living with cancer as well as those caring for people with the illness.
Barbara Wilson, who founded Working with Cancer in 2014, believes many UK companies are currently unprepared to adequately support employees with cancer.
“Most organisations haven’t grasped the fact that more and more people of working age are being diagnosed with cancer,” she says. “It is estimated that about 1 million people of working age are living with cancer, and this number is expected to increase by 1,150,000 by 2030.”
Working with Cancer’s research found that HR managers were mainly concerned with employers’ legal obligations, believing them to be sufficient to support employees living with cancer.
These obligations include policies like Sickness and Absence and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and while they may address some of the requirements of people with cancer, they fail to cover the wide spectrum of needs associated with the disease.
“Most of these policies are one-size-fits-all,” Wilson explains. “But cancer is unusual. People recover from cancer very often, but recovery isn’t linear.” A specific cancer policy would address the individual experience of those living with the condition, accounting for everything from the pre-diagnosis period to post-treatment.
Understanding cancer
Before introducing a cancer policy, it’s imperative that companies are properly informed on the condition. Wilson advises holding a cancer awareness training, which can be offered by Working with Cancer, to ensure both employers and employees understand how the disease affects people’s productivity.
“As a starting point, we need give people an understanding of what cancer is. You can do that in a half day of training,” says Wilson.
Flexible working
Employees living with cancer are entitled to a number of adjustments, including the ability to work from home, change their duties and reduce their workload. This is particularly important in light of the recent pushback on remote working, with the majority of UK chief executive officers saying they anticipate a full return to the office in the next three years.
Wilson cautions employers, however, against assuming a ‘work from home’ accommodation is enough.
“Even working from home, that doesn’t mean you should be working 12 hours a day. You’re still entitled to breaks and to have time off for medical appointments,” she explains.
Phased return to work
Returning to work after any type of sick leave can be daunting, but for people living with cancer, the re-transition can be particularly taxing.
“Very often, managers think that once you’ve finished your treatment, you’ll be well, and they make assumptions about when you will be able to return to work,” Wilson says. “But most cancer survivors need a year to recover from the treatment alone.”
She notes that cancer treatment can be followed by a number of health issues, such as peripheral neuropathy and bladder issues, which make a full return to work difficult or even impossible. It’s also important to recognise that people with cancer may not appear visibly unwell, leading to misconceptions about their wellbeing and ability to work.
Wilson says that it’s crucial that employees living with cancer can have a phased return to work, rather than be expected to resume their position full-time.
“Employees with cancer are often told, ‘Don’t come back to work until you’re 100% fit’ - but are we ever 100% fit?” she asks. “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. The worst thing is to come back to the desk and see you have 3,000 unanswered emails.”
Acknowledge the value of work
Before Wilson was diagnosed with cancer, she admittedly didn’t understand why employees would want to continue working after a diagnosis. She now sees, however, that an occupation can be a therapeutic tool for people during illness - and should never be confiscated if they can’t perform at their previous capacity.
“Working gives you purpose and structure,” Wilson says. “It gives something to think about other than your own mortality, or the fact that the treatment is causing you a lot of pain or stress.” She adds that a job is a financial necessity for many people, as well as a source of social fulfilment.
“Work enables people to function as part of a community - when you’re diagnosed with cancer it can feel very lonely and you can become isolated very quickly,” Wilson adds. “Being able to work, if you wish to, is important for people’s mental health.”
Psychological support
A cancer diagnosis can be extremely difficult on an employee’s mental health, which is why it’s crucial they have access to the the appropriate support resources at work.
“Ignoring the psychological impact of cancer is ignoring half the story around having cancer treatment,” says Wilson. It’s therefore essential that both employers and employees can tap into mental health support services, such as the one-to-one coaching offered by Working with Cancer.
It’s also important that the subject of cancer is addressed more openly in the workplace, which helps to de-stigmatise the condition and help the employer better accommodate the employee. “Not talking about cancer, whether you’re the employee or the employer, is really unhelpful,” says Wilson.
Don’t forget carers
A company’s cancer policy must also take into consideration carers, whose work life can be drastically impacted by a loved one’s cancer diagnosis.
“Carers for people with cancer have a really tough time; the law protects them but to a lesser extent,” says Wilson. “They’re desperate to do their jobs, and support their families, partners, or friends.”
