Coping with an Employee's Serious Illness
It is always unfortunate news when you learn that an employee you know and work with has been diagnosed with a serious illness. Americans are now facing a real world health crisis. For example, in 2017, almost 50% of deaths in the US were attributed to heart disease and cancer. So what do you do when you find out someone you work with has been affected by one of these or any other serious illness? Our first instinct is to want to help the person in a kind and compassionate manner.
Americans spend a large amount of their waking hours at work, building special bonds and relationships with coworkers. How do you envision you might feel if someone in your office disclosed to you that they have a serious or life threatening illness? According to the American Psychological Association (APA) you may feel depressed, physically ill, stricken with grief, and more. So what can you do? The first step would be to express your concern and care. If your coworker has indicated ways in which support would be helpful, be sure to lend them a helping hand. A supportive work environment allows everyone to cope and contribute in a positive way without feeling helpless. Being a friend, and not only a colleague, can be one of the best ways to help.