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diabetes at work: how people with diabetes continue to face professional barriers
4 minute read
as many as 79 per cent of people with diabetes have experienced bias or misunderstandings surrounding their disease while at work.
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diabetes is considered an incredibly common chronic disease, with close to 10 per cent of the canadian population living with diabetes. that said, even while great in numbers, people living with diabetes still often contend with various levels of discrimination, especially in the workplace.
“over 530 million people worldwide live with diabetes, and 70 per cent are of working age,” said ashley mcevoy, insulet president and chief executive officer, in a press release. “despite advances in technology and innovation, the lived experience at work for those with diabetes is often marked by misunderstanding, fear of disclosure and a lack of tailored support.”
these stigmas still associated with diabetes and a lack of support and awareness from both colleagues and managers, make living with diabetes in the workplace that much more challenging. that is proven by a new external global survey commissioned by insulet, a global leader in diabetes management technology that makes omnipod insulin pumps, which shows that bias is still alive and well for people living with diabetes.
according to the survey, managing diabetes in the workplace has led people to experience anxiety, poor sleep, depression, burnout and negative body image.
misunderstandings of diabetes show the need for better education
even with awareness surrounding diabetes growing, the lack of education among people who don’t have the disease is still high.
the survey asked respondents without diabetes to assess their level of confidence in their knowledge of the disease, as well as their ability to offer support. and while 57 per cent believe they are able to offer the help and support a person with diabetes needs in the workplace, those living with the disease are not as confident. roughly half don’t feel comfortable seeking out emotional support from colleagues or employers.
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about 21 per cent of respondents with diabetes also said that awareness is nowhere near where it should be, and the lack of knowledge surrounding what diabetes entails continues to make their jobs more challenging. another 36 per cent felt they were completely invisible in workplace health programs.
when it comes to knowledge bases, the survey also asked questions about pop culture to gauge comparisons. it found that 61 per cent are unaware of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, yet can identify certain movie characters, such as those in the harry potter series and this year’s top football teams, highlighting a significant gap.
diabetes stigma is still a significant issue
the deep-rooted stigma that has affected people living with diabetes may be improving, albeit slowly, but it’s still going strong in the workplace. for example, 79 per cent of those who participated in the survey noted that they’ve experienced bias or misunderstandings while at their jobs, with 41 per cent saying that their anxiety levels continued to be high in relation to managing their diabetes at their job.
another 27 per cent are afraid to speak to their employers about the disease because they believe it limits their opportunities or will drive discrimination and judgment, with 20 per cent saying that stigma directly limited their ability to advance in their careers.
another 21 per cent noted that they kept their disease quiet from both colleagues and managers altogether to avoid any unjust consequences or because they didn’t want to be a burden.
a lack of diabetes support at work
people with diabetes know what needs to be done to foster a more inclusive professional environment, but employers have continued to fail to hear their voices. for example, 86 per cent of people with diabetes experienced barriers at work directly related to their condition, such as a lack of time for managing their condition and poor food options, but there are easy-fix solutions that employers can enact to break down those barriers.
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“i wish more employers understood that diabetes may not be a visible chronic illness, but it affects many spheres of our lives, whether it’s in terms of our mental or physical health, or even our emotions. a little empathy can go a long way,” said communications professional and omnipod®️ user judy mitri, in a press release.
private spaces, more food options and giving adequate breaks to people living with the chronic disease are all ways that employers can remove obstacles that stand in the way of someone being able to manage their disease while giving 100 per cent on the job.
establishing or providing mindfulness-based tools can also be beneficial in helping people with diabetes overcome the stress they experience related to working with a chronic disease—the intervention has been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep and lessen anxiety for respondents of the survey, showing that when there are adequate supports, people with diabetes can thrive in the workplace.
championing for change
to foster a better future for people with diabetes in the workplace, insulet has begun launching various efforts to spread awareness surrounding how dire the situation is and what can be done to change the narrative.
their dedicated campaign, “the day diabetes showed up to work,” will consist of various points of information for people to tap into so they can better understand what it takes to live with and manage diabetes, and how being supported fully can help those with the chronic disease show up to work confident and unafraid of bias and misunderstandings.
they have also launched other support initiatives, including their insulet for good program, which utilizes donations to support workplace-focused programming, and letters of support for children, in which employees write encouraging letters to children with diabetes to help them cope and learn to manage their new normal.
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together with various diabetes associations across the globe, they will continue to put forth efforts that can provide people living with diabetes a chance to break free from workplace barriers, stigma and fear.
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