Charity of the Year

Negotiating the return-to-work minefield

Cancer treatment can often be a hugely emotionally challenging experience. At Maggie’s our visitors often report feeling out of control, a loss of a sense of identity and a sense of disconnection when having to undergo treatments for cancer such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. As a psychologist I am often witness to a wide range of emotions ranging from a sense of apprehension, loss of confidence to low mood and anxiety. Whilst some are able to continue work during treatment on reduced hours others often have to temporarily leave work due to the side effects of treatment. With the right support and guidance returning to work can be a hugely rewarding experience, not just for the clear benefits of alleviating financial pressures but also to help significantly increase feeling of self-esteem and to re-gain much needed confidence. Unfortunately, if returning to work is not managed successfully it can have huge emotional repercussions for the person affected by cancer and can result in an employer losing a competent employee. At Maggie’s’ we have a strong emphasis on helping people return to work and providing support for challenges that feel insurmountable. These include managing the effects of cancer reacted fatigue, and psychological support for depression, anticipatory anxiety regarding returning to work and using evidence based strategies to help with a loss of confidence. There is also a legal obligation for employers to make reasonable adjustment to help support a return to work for someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. A recent poll conducted by Maggie’s and Unum found that many employers are not providing the right support for people with cancer. Often this is because employers are worried they may say or do the wrong thing. The Maggie’s cancer in the workplace course is provided to companies in order to help them understand the emotional, physical and psychological needs of employees with cancer and to help create the right framework to manage employees with cancer. For employers some basic adjustments can make a significant difference include offering light duties or alternative work on a temporary, reduced hours basis, allowing flexible working, allowing the individual to work from home for part of the week and allowing extra breaks to help cope with fatigue and allowing time off to attend medical appointments. Whilst some employers provide exemplary support others are still struggling to provide an adequate framework with miscommunication often being reported as a major barrier to returning to work. As many as 63,000 people living with cancer today want to work, but are encountering barriers that prevent them because the right support isn’t in place for them or their employers. By 2030, there will be almost 1 million people with cancer in the UK workforce. The imperative is for both employees are employers to be given the right support so returning to work can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience post treatment.