With improvements in cancer detection and treatment, the survival rates and quality of life for people diagnosed with cancer have improved dramatically. One effect of these advances is that more cancer survivors are able to work, both during and after treatment.

For employees with cancer, work can be therapeutic, offering social connections, a source of stability, and a sense of purpose. Work, with appropriate adjustments, can help the recovery process.

For employers, retaining or hiring employees with cancer can improve an organization’s productivity and bottom line:

• First, the costs of replacing an employee are high, much higher than the costs of accommodation that may be needed to retain them during treatment and recovery.
• Second, building a work environment that supports employees with cancer sends a signal to all workers that the organization cares about its people, strengthening loyalty and engagement.
• Third, accommodating the needs of ill employees is a legal requirement, whether through leave regulations, laws requiring accommodation for people with disabilities, or the general duty of care that obligates employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees.

Cancer is a reality in the workplace. It’s up to thoughtful leaders to respond in ways that enable employees to contribute and heal, and, by doing so, to strengthen their organizations.

What Employees with Cancer Need

A cancer diagnosis can trigger overwhelming emotions of fear and uncertainty. After questions of survival, treatment, and the effect on their families, employees typically worry about work. They wonder if they’ll be able to continue in their jobs, perhaps with a break for treatment. They wonder how the illness will affect their career.

Every individual is different in their reactions, of course, and every diagnosis comes with different prospects, but, in general, employees with cancer need:

• Access to practical and emotional support.
• A sense that it’s safe to reveal their diagnosis at work without fear of repercussions.
• A manager, HR team, and colleagues who understand and accept that their work capabilities and availability may change during treatment and recovery.
• Flexibility to work in different ways during treatment and recovery.
• Reassurance that the job will be there for them if they need to take a break for treatment (Bevan & Wilson, 2022; Cancer and Work, n.d.).

How Employers Can Respond

1. Review current policies, cultures, and support programs.

­Take stock of:

• Current leave and flexibility policies.
• Accommodation practices for employees with illnesses or disabilities.
• Support programs to help employees with practical, mental health, or work issues.
• The general awareness in the organization, especially among managers, of both the needs of employees with cancer and their value to the organization.

Look at data about extended absences and turnover related to cancer. Ask cancer survivors about their experiences of working in the organization through treatment and recovery.

This is your baseline from which to build a strategy that balances the organization’s goals with the needs of employees with cancer. Consider what’s working well and where improvements might be made. For example, most organizations need to work continuously to ensure that policies and their intentions are understood by team managers or supervisors. A larger organization may benefit from having staff dedicated to coordinating medical absences and employees’ return to work.

2. Build a culture of trust and inclusion.

Many employees with cancer are afraid to reveal their diagnosis to their employers for fear of losing their jobs (Agovino, 2024; Cancer and Careers, 2024). Communicate the organization’s commitment to supporting employees with cancer and its intolerance of any form of discrimination. Train on and model leadership for an environment of psychological safety, where open, honest, and respectful communication is the norm and where employees are valued for who they are.

Encourage managers and colleagues to keep in touch with employees who are away from work for cancer treatment in appropriate, supportive ways. Maintaining social ties in this way helps absent employees feel valued and eases the transition when they return to work.

3. Provide support.

Be sure that employees and managers have easy access to an employee support program (EAP) and know how to reach it for help. The program should include online self-help information, convenient access to video and telephone counseling, and referrals to other needed counseling and support services.

Consider launching a peer support program that pairs cancer patients with employee mentors who have gone through similar experiences with cancer. Participation should be completely voluntary, and mentors should be trained to be as helpful as possible (and told not to give medical advice).

4. Be flexible.

Train managers to keep an open mind when an employee with cancer requests an altered schedule or changes to their work responsibilities. Encourage managers to work with HR or a return-to-work specialist to evaluate accommodation options. Flexibility and accommodation options might include:

• Extended or intermittent leave
• Adjustments to work hours
• Allowance for rest breaks with a quiet place to rest
• Work from home
• A phased return to work
• Adjustments to workload and job responsibilities
• Modifications to furniture or equipment
• Assistive technology

Be sure managers understand the organization’s policies and the legal mandates behind them, as well as its commitment to supporting employees with cancer.

5. Establish a return-to-work planning process.

Make it a standard practice for managers to work with returning employees to create and document an individualized return-to-work plan. This should be a collaborative effort, with involvement by HR or a return-to-work coordinator as appropriate. It may require coordination with the employee’s health care team to ensure that job requirements (which may need to be modified) align with the employee’s capabilities and won’t interfere with treatment and recovery.

A return-to-work plan should include:

• The return date
• The work schedule
• Any work restrictions
• Any adjustments or accommodations
• Whether the modifications to the schedule or work are temporary, and how long temporary changes will remain in place
• How the employee’s progress will be monitored

The return-to-work plan should be reviewed regularly in meetings between the employee and manager, and adjusted as the employee’s needs and capabilities change.

6. Monitor progress.

The team responsible for developing and implementing the overall strategy should check in regularly with employees and managers to see how the processes are working and to gain insights into the work culture. Turnover and absence data and information from employee surveys can also be valuable in monitoring progress. As with any strategy, adjustments may be needed to bring actual practice into line with the initiative’s goals.

For information about how Workplace Options (WPO) helps employees impacted by cancer thrive—at work and in their personal lives—visit https://www.workplaceoptions.com/wellbeing_solutions/cancer-care-compass/.

Sources

Agovino, T. (2024, March 8). Supporting employees with cancer. HR Magazine, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/hr-magazine/supporting-employees-with-cancer

Bevan, S., and Wilson, B. (February 2022) Cancer & Employment Survey: Summary of key findings. Institute for Employment Studies (IES). https://workingwithcancer.co.uk/content/files/Cancer-Employment-Survey-Results-Summary-1.pdf

Cancer and Careers. (April 2025). 2024 Cancer and Careers/Harris Poll survey: Navigating cancer and work; employee experiences. https://www.cancerandcareers.org/newsfeed/research/posts/2022/10/2022-the-harris-poll-cancer-an

Cancer and Work. (n.d.). Employers: Returning to work/staying at work. https://www.cancerandwork.ca/employers/returning-to-work-staying-at-work/

Cancer@Work. (n.d.). Cancer et travail: un enjeu sociétal majeur. https://www.canceratwork.com/en/cancer-and-work. English version: Cancer and work: a major societal issue. https://www.canceratwork.com/cancer-and-work

Cancer Council (2019). Creating cancer-friendly workplaces: a guide for managers and human resource professionals. https://www.cancer.org.au/assets/pdf/creating-cancer-friendly-workplaces

National Business Group on Health and American Cancer Society. (2017), Cancer in the workplace: HR tip sheet. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/online-documents/en/pdf/flyers/cancer-in-the-workplace-hr-tip-sheet.pdf