Every October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month encourages us to raise awareness, share experiences and support those affected by cancer.
This year, Realise HR is joined by Tara Ferguson of Onward With You, who works with organisations on cancer in the workplace. Between us, we’ve seen the subject from both sides: the personal and the professional.
For us at Realise HR, it’s a cause that’s particularly close to our hearts. Eleven years ago, our CEO, Claire, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, she’s thriving, leading our business and continuing to support organisations and individuals across the UK.
For Tara, it’s personal too. In August 2023 she was diagnosed with breast cancer while working in a senior HR role. Her own employer and manager supported her brilliantly, and it changed how she sees the impact of cancer at work. She now combines that experience with over 20 years in HR, including at PepsiCo and Unilever, to help organisations get this right.
Both experiences are a powerful reminder that behind every diagnosis is a person going through one of the most challenging periods of their life. They are also a reminder of the important role employers can play during that journey.
When cancer enters the workplace
A cancer diagnosis affects far more than an individual’s health.
Employees may suddenly find themselves attending appointments, undergoing treatment, managing side effects, dealing with uncertainty and balancing family responsibilities, all while trying to maintain some sense of normality.
For employers, it can be difficult to know the right thing to say or do. Many worry about saying the wrong thing, while others focus purely on the practical aspects of absence and workload management.
But often, what employees remember most is how they were treated as a person. A supportive workplace can make a huge difference during a time when life feels uncertain.
Why employer support matters
Research consistently shows that good workplace support can have a positive impact on wellbeing, confidence and recovery.
Employees who feel supported are more likely to remain engaged with work where appropriate, communicate openly about their needs and feel valued during a difficult period.
Conversely, a lack of support can add unnecessary stress at a time when someone is already coping with significant emotional and physical challenges. While every individual’s circumstances will be different, employers have an opportunity to create a culture where employees feel safe, respected and supported.
It matters because of how many people are affected. Over 1.5 million employees in the UK are impacted by cancer, either through their own diagnosis or their caring responsibilities. Medical advances mean more people than ever are living and working with and beyond cancer.
Support doesn’t stop when treatment does
For many people, the end of active treatment is not the end of cancer’s impact. It’s easy for colleagues and managers to assume that once someone is back at work and treatment is over, life has returned to normal. For the person living it, that’s rarely how it feels.
Fatigue can last for months or even years. Some people live with longer-term effects such as pain, poor concentration, hot flushes, numbness or tingling, and changes to their energy and appearance. Some treatments, including hormone therapy, continue for years and bring their own side effects. Scans and check-ups carry on too, and with them comes anxiety about the results and a fear that cancer might come back.
There’s an emotional side as well. Many people say the hardest part comes afterwards, when the structure of appointments and the constant support around them falls away and everyone expects them to be back to their old selves. Confidence, stamina and focus can all take time to rebuild.
Employers can help by:
- Checking in regularly, not just at the point of return
- Reviewing adjustments over time, as needs change
- Allowing time off for follow-up appointments and scans
- Not assuming that recovery is complete because treatment has finished
- Letting the employee lead on what support they need and when
With medical advances, more people than ever are living and working with and beyond cancer. Good support needs to reflect that.
What can employers do?
Start with empathy
You don’t need to have all the answers. Sometimes the most valuable thing a manager can do is listen.
Give employees space to talk about their situation, ask how they would like to be supported and avoid making assumptions about what they can or can’t manage.
Everyone’s experience of cancer is different, and support should reflect individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Be flexible where possible
Treatment schedules, medical appointments and recovery periods can be unpredictable.
Flexible working arrangements can help employees balance their health needs with work responsibilities.
This could include:
- Adjusted working hours
- Remote or hybrid working
- Temporary changes to duties
- Phased returns to work following treatment
- Additional breaks where needed
Even small adjustments can have a significant impact. It’s important to know that a cancer diagnosis is covered by The Equality Act from the point of diagnosis… for life. This means that reasonable adjustments are a legal requirement to consider.
Train managers to have supportive conversations
Many managers feel uncomfortable discussing serious illness because they worry about saying the wrong thing. Providing training and guidance can help managers approach conversations with confidence, empathy and sensitivity.
The goal isn’t to become medical experts. It’s to ensure employees feel heard and supported.
The gap here is still wide. Around 78% of line managers have received no formal training on supporting employees affected by cancer.
Review your policies
A clear framework can provide reassurance for both employees and managers.
Consider whether your policies adequately cover:
- Serious illness
- Long-term absence
- Flexible working
- Reasonable adjustments
- Return-to-work support
- Employee wellbeing
Having clear guidance helps ensure consistency and fairness across the organisation. Just 4% of organisations currently have a cancer-specific policy in place, so a review can put you well ahead.
Signpost available support
Many employees may not know what support is available to them.
Employers can help by promoting:
- Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
- Occupational health services
- Mental health support
- Financial wellbeing resources
- External charities and support organisations
Knowing where to turn for help can make a huge difference.
Supporting colleagues and carers too
It’s important to remember that cancer doesn’t only affect the person receiving treatment. Colleagues, partners, family members and carers are often impacted too.
Some employees may be supporting a loved one through diagnosis, treatment or recovery while continuing to work. Creating an open and supportive culture benefits everyone affected.
Building a compassionate workplace
At some point, many organisations will have employees who are affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly.
The question isn’t whether it will happen. It’s whether people will feel supported when it does.
Creating a compassionate workplace isn’t about having perfect policies or knowing exactly what to say. It’s about having a culture where people know they won’t have to face life’s toughest challenges alone.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month reminds us, cancer affects millions of people and families every year.
For employers, there is an opportunity to make a real difference by creating workplaces built on empathy, flexibility and understanding.
Because while employers can’t remove the challenges that come with cancer, they can help ensure that no employee has to face them alone.
How onward with you can help
Most managers and HR professionals want to do the right thing for the employee and the business when cancer touches their team. Knowing what good looks like is the harder part. Tara’s Cancer Confidence Framework is a structured way to get there, with two options:
- Cancer Aware: a 2-hour awareness session for up to 50 people, a quick-start toolkit and a follow-up call. A good first step for building understanding across your organisation.
- Cancer Ready: everything in Cancer Aware, plus a half-day workshop for line managers, a review of your cancer or long-term health policy, a resource pack and further follow-up calls. Designed for organisations that want managers to feel confident and a policy that supports them.
For HR professionals, Tara also runs Cancer Confidence: The HR Masterclass, a 2-hour session covering awareness, employment law in practice, the business case for a cancer-inclusive workplace and real-life scenarios. You can join an open session with HR peers from other organisations, or book a private session for your own team.
Consultancy, one-to-one coaching for managers or employees, and policy development are also available whenever you need them.
To find out more, contact Tara at tara@onwardwithyou.com or visit www.onwardwithyou.com.
Other useful support
Breast Cancer Now
Helpline: 0808 800 6000
Website: https://www.breastcancernow.org
Macmillan Cancer Support
Support Line: 0808 808 00 00
Website: https://www.macmillan.org.uk
Cancer Research UK
Website: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org
Samaritans
Helpline: 116 123
Website: https://www.samaritans.org
If you’d like advice on supporting employees through serious illness, developing compassionate workplace policies or training managers to have supportive conversations, the teams at Realise HR and Onward With You are here to help
