It’s a challenge when an employee falls ill because it can significantly impact the workplace. You might be hiring a new employee or re-hiring someone who has been absent for some time. It would be best if you thought about how to help an employee with chronic health conditions stay productive. Here are a few tips to help you do so in a kind and compassionate way.
1. Encourage Medication and Exercise
A person with a chronic health condition may not be able to work as hard or as long as they used to, and if their illness is severe enough, they may have difficulty maintaining employment.
The best option for them is to find a way to work with their condition to continue working. This could mean taking medication or working at home for part of the day. If this isn’t possible, she must find ways to stay active every day so that her ability to work is not affected by her condition.
2. Help Get a Diagnosis and Treatment Plan
Get him to see a doctor. Find out what he is diagnosed with, and be sure you understand the treatment plan and how it will work.
Help him find an insurance company that will cover his treatment plan or helps him get back on his health insurance if he’s lost it because of his condition. Make sure that your company has a policy for disability leave that covers both short-term disability and long-term disability.
3. Offer to Create a Network of Co-Workers Who Can Help Carry Out Tasks That May Be Difficult For Them
Ask how you can help with their health treatment or care. Offer to help employees with their health care needs, so they don’t have to worry about it alone.
Consider creating a team meeting or brainstorming session with the employee on how to make the workday more manageable so they don’t have to worry about it on their own. Direct them to the appropriate resources, such as disability services or their human resources department’s employee assistance program.
4. Offer a Flexible Work Schedule
When working with an employee with a chronic health condition, it’s essential to be sensitive and supportive. You’ll want to ensure that your employee can take time off when they need it, and if they have a flexible schedule, you can do this without them having too much trouble.
This might mean offering more time off for the holidays or allowing them to work from home when they need to. It’s also important to let your employee know that you care about them and will do what you can to help them get through their illness.
In the end, chronic illness is a tough thing to manage. It’s in the best interests of both employers and employees to work together to reach a solution. After all, it’s what’s best for business. And while I realize that not every workplace is the same, there are still some steps that can be taken in your organization to help support employees with chronic conditions.
