How companies can retain employees who are managing chronic conditions

The COVID-19 pandemic was a forced wake-up call for many of us to take a hard look at our lives. What were we prioritizing? Why?

For the six in 10 Americans living with at least one chronic condition, the pandemic may have elicited even more self-reflection. Maybe your employees were among the millions of essential workers who faced crippling panic and fear about being required to work in person despite being in a high-risk category for infection. Perhaps that lack of support made them feel the urge to quit. They wouldn’t be the only ones: In April 2021 alone, roughly four million people quit their jobs, according to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But, of course, it’s not always as easy as just quitting or finding a new job with better healthcare support. Many people rely on employer benefits to afford life-sustaining medication such as insulin, meaning they must continue working to retain their insurance. Living with a chronic condition throughout the COVID-19 crisis has often meant trying to survive a deadly infectious disease while simultaneously participating in employer and healthcare systems that don’t always make it easy to prioritize self-care.

Read more: How digital care programs are revolutionizing employee diabetes care in the age of COVID

Chronic conditions typically bring with them “sick days.” For example, in the case of diabetes, more than 40 different factors may impact blood sugar (e.g., temperature, stress, hydration level, physical activity, etc.), leading to possible highs or lows. Higher levels of blood sugar fluctuations may cause physical fatigue and confusion, if not more serious complications such as diabetes ketoacidosis. These experiences, and any additional follow-up care that’s needed, may contribute to a need for more flexibility in time-off policies, daily schedules and remote work. In fact, many individuals with a chronic condition such as diabetes require time off to attend medical and educational appointments to manage their baseline health. Those met with inflexibility and a lack of support from employers may undergo stress and emotional burnout.

That said, if you live with a chronic condition, the American Disabilities Act (ADA)—a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities and ensures that these individuals have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else—can offer protection and support in the workplace. The reality is that many Americans with chronic conditions do not qualify for disability due to obstacles like insufficient medical documentation. What’s worse, even if disability paychecks are available, they’re often not enough to cover the mounting healthcare costs and basic lifestyle support that is needed to manage a chronic condition.

Even if there are healthier policies in place to support flexible work schedules, vacations and medical leaves, how often are they practiced? How do leadership and human resources teams reinforce self-care practices? For instance, if an employee avoids taking time off work to demonstrate high productivity, does their supervising manager address the issue during performance reviews or regular check-ins? Does leadership model appropriate self-care by taking personal time off? Do they scoff, micromanage, and/or play it neutral when an employee needs a flexible schedule? Do they praise high productivity over poor self-care?

Read more: 5 ways to diversify your recruiting and hire untapped talent

Why, you might ask, would employees with chronic conditions continue working in an environment that feels less than supportive? There are plenty.

Too often, Americans are tied to their paychecks for healthcare reasons. Many individuals stay at their jobs sheerly for health benefits provided by their employer that allow them to afford a steady stream of medical appointments, medication prescriptions, hospital stays, and more. Plus, as medication prices continue to soar (e.g., cost of a vial of insulin has risen from $0.75 to $250 in the past 60 years), employees need health benefits to cover these high inflation rates.

In many cases, being chronically ill means you need a medical specialist or a team of medical providers available to you 24/7. The mere task of finding one who is competent, culturally aware and works well with your preferences is often a challenge on its own. It’s no surprise, then, that once a preferred provider or team is found, there is a reluctance to leave their care. Trust is hugely important in any patient-doctor relationship, but it’s especially key in chronic care, considering the need for consistent, long-term communication. Even if an employee feels unsupported in their job, they may stay in that position to retain access to a trusted healthcare provider.

Of course, even if an employee is ready to change jobs, they may not be ready to disrupt their lives.A job transition may be tough, in general, but for a person living with chronic conditions, the logistics of making changes to their healthcare may feel overwhelming, reinforcing a desire to stay put to avoid the emotional toll.

Read more: How this CEO is helping employers hire workers with chronic illness

This all begs the question: What can employers do to help? It’s challenging for employers to estimate the number of people at their organization who are chronically ill, but there are precautions and steps they can take to prevent the development of chronic conditions among employees and support those who currently live with them.

First, conduct a value audit. In addition to reviewing what an employee is bringing to the table (productivity, positivity, thought leadership, creativity) review what value the company is adding to the employee’s life beyond income (flexible working hours, health plans, culture of safety and equity). A bidirectional, values-based approach ensures that employees are feeling validated and cared for by their organization.

Then, build connection through practice. It’s one thing to have these policies in place; it’s another to enforce them. What does upper and middle management reinforce? Verbally? Psychologically? Are employees working evenings and weekends? Are vacations encouraged? A good indicator of healthy practices is if employees share personal stories about how they spent their leisure time and if they are well received by their teammates and leadership. Attentiveness to employee health is also an indicator.

A few simple strategies, if given the right attention and energy, can make a significant difference in employee lives and in company success. We know chronic condition diagnoses won’t be subsiding anytime soon because lifestyles are not changing rapidly enough. However, employee health needs may be better supported through a focus on prevention and health management by implementing more flexible policies, promoting mutually value-based approaches, and encouraging connection through company culture.