WHEN YOUR WORK FAMILY IS YOUR SUPPORT AWAY FROM HOME WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE FACING A SERIOUS ILLNESS?

For many, work is more than a paycheck. The average full-time American employee works over 40 hours a week at work, so it comes as little surprise that a majority of employees (56%) report spending more time with their “work family” than they do at home. One survey, which sampled 1,000 full-time office workers ages 18-65, found that having a familial relationship with co-workers boosts productivity and feelings of well-being in the workplace.

Another critical element of having a “work family” is they can be a support system if you or someone you love develops a chronic disease, such as cancer. How can co-workers lend the most effective and meaningful support without being intrusive?

Creating an inclusive and positive environment for an employee coping with a serious medical condition is essential to the overall well-being of a workplace, but coworkers and employers need guidance. On December 4th, Kathy Flora and Rebecca Nellis discuss findings in a recent survey commissioned by Cancer and Careers that explored the experiences of 1,000 US working adults, employed full-time, who work or have worked with someone being treated for a serious condition. They will explain how workplaces can evolve to support and accommodate people juggling work and diagnosis, the importance of fostering a positive and supportive work environment, and the key roles managers and supervisors can play. Some survey highlights include:

• 88% of working adults have concerns about their ability to support a co-worker with a serious and/or chronic medical condition

• Of those who currently work/have worked with someone diagnosed with cancer, 90% have concerns about offering support

• 59% of working adults are not confident that their managers and supervisors know how to support an employee with a serious and/or chronic medical condition

• 89% of workers think management could have done more to be supportive of their co-worker with a serious and/or chronic medical condition
Interview is courtesy: Cancer and Careers