Invisible Illness in the Workplace

For some people, they may not even know or acknowledge that they have an invisible illness or disability. Others may feel comparatively well one day and then unable to get out of bed or go to work the next. Lack of understanding or empathy, even discrimination and abuse, are all too common experiences for those with hidden illnesses. Because their colleagues can’t see their symptoms (74% of people with physical disabilities don’t use any type of visible aid), they may be regarded as unreliable or lacking commitment to the job. Some colleagues may not believe the individual has anything wrong with them at all. [3]This can then mean employees might not reveal their illness because of how they think they might be treated. While a manager or employer may want to help, they may not know what to say or do. [4]

So What Can Managers and Colleagues Do?

Build Awareness

Many people simply don’t appreciate the number of people living and working with invisible conditions. So helping to get the message out to employees is essential. This article might be a good way to start. Making invisible illness part of a wellbeing session or event is another good way of helping to promote awareness and understanding in your organization. Hearing directly from employees living with invisible illnesses can be a particularly powerful way to do this. Education need not be confined to employees alone. Supermarket giant ASDA decided to help educate customers, for instance, by putting up signs in over 400 stores saying, ‘Not every disability is visible.’ It came about after a customer with an invisible condition had experienced hostility for using a disabled toilet in one of their stores. [5]

Check In Regularly With Employees

One of the most important things you can do is to simply ask people how they are - how are they really doing today, this week or this month. If you’re a manager, regular catch-ups with employees are important, particularly if you are aware a colleague has an invisible condition. This helps build understanding and trust and enables you to offer appropriate types and levels of support. In a busy or open office setting, it’s important that an employee is able to speak to you in confidence about their situation - even if this is online. Letting them know they can approach you when needed is key.

Make Appropriate Adjustments

For those conditions classed as disabilities under equality legislation (which can vary from country to country), you are legally required to make reasonable adjustments for the person and their condition, e.g. by providing specialized equipment. [6] It’s also important to understand what might constitute unfair treatment or discrimination under the legislation. It’s not just about being compliant, though. Regardless of whether an invisible condition is covered by legislation or not, it’s about finding out what you can do to help an employee with an invisible condition feel heard, valued and productive at work.

Be Flexible Where Possible

Encourage the employee to make best use of flexible working arrangements. Some days they may not be fit or well enough for a lengthy commute to and from work, for instance. But they may feel able to do some work from home. For some employees, breaking work down into smaller chunks of time or effort can help prevent their energy levels from getting too low.

Certain conditions might mean the employee has multiple, time-consuming health appointments. Encourage them to give you as much notice as possible, and together discuss their workload in advance to enable them to access the care they need, in as stress-free a way as possible.

Avoid Making Assumptions

Most often, the best person to judge what an employee can and can’t do is the employee themselves. While it’s important to be sensitive to their situation on the one hand, don’t assume that there are tasks or duties they can’t or don’t want to perform. Again, it all comes down to good communication.

Tap Into Available Support

As a manager, do make use of the wider support available to you, such as your HR department or Occupational Health, and encourage your employee to do the same (respecting employee confidentiality is important here). The more you understand about an employee’s particular situation, the better placed you will be to offer them appropriate support.

Summary

Invisible illnesses and disabilities are suprisingly common, and can affect any one of us at any time. Helping to create an open and inclusive working culture is the key to empowering and supporting employees with invisible health conditions. This helps to build understanding, engagement and trust.

Please note: The above information does not constitute legal advice. If there is anything you are unsure about, please consult your HR department or Occupational Health team if you have one.