The number of employees with multiple health conditions is increasing, requiring a different approach to supporting them to stay in work.
One in four people in the UK is living with at least two health conditions, with some employees experiencing as many as ten conditions.
These conditions can range from underlying health issues, such as diabetes and cardiovascular heart disease, to mental health issues coupled with a physical condition.
Employers who attempt to manage each of these conditions separately can struggle to keep people productive and in work, so we look at how best to manage multiple health conditions.
Five ways to manage people with multiple health conditions:
1. Look at people in their entirety
Although it’s tempting for employers to try and prioritise which condition to manage, in terms of which conditions could be protected under the Equality Act, for example, the key to success is to look at people in their entirety.
Whether someone has one or ten conditions, what symptoms are they presenting and how is this affecting their functionality. What can they still do and what are they struggling to do?
Only then can you think about how best to work around the challenges they’re having, rather than getting tangled up in the complexities of each and every condition.
2. Consider the impact of medication
It’s also important to consider the impact of medication as this in itself can often give rise to other conditions. For example, someone going through cancer treatment might then also develop menopause and chronic fatigue, requiring support for these conditions also.
Similarly, someone being treated for an auto immune condition like rheumatoid arthritis could also develop irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), requiring support for this also.
In many cases, employees themselves might not even be aware that treating one condition has caused them to develop another, so upfront occupational health support is important to pre-empting the impact of medication so this can be factored into any return-to-work plans.
3. Provide early intervention
Many health conditions are ‘hidden’ meaning the employees manager may not be aware that someone they’re responsible for is diabetic or has a heart condition unless the employee has shared this with them.
Some of these underlying health conditions may only come to light once the employee develops a second condition that makes the first worse. For example, they start a medication for a musculoskeletal (MSK) issue that makes an existing migraine condition they were managing worse.
Critical to keeping employees in work is identifying when they need support, so managers need to be prepared to have ‘courageous conversations’ to ask those who are struggling if they’re okay. This matters because two thirds of people can be prevented from going absent if they are referred into occupational health before they become too sick to work.
4. Use ‘case conferences’ to manage complex cases
Where an employer is struggling to get a clear understanding of how existing conditions are exacerbating a new condition in a way that is impacting on work, a ‘case conference’ to bring together the employer, HR, occupational health and any existing medical professionals can be very helpful.
For example, we once invited an individual’s mental health worker into a case conference to gain a clear understanding of how periods of psychosis could affect him. This resulted in him being relocated to another part of the business, away from machinery, and consent given for colleagues to be told about his condition so they could look out for signs that he needed support.
In the event that everything that can be done to support the employee has been done and there is no improvement, a case conference can also be a valuable tool for showing that the employer’s ability to support the employee has reached the end of the line.
5. Prepare for an aging workforce
One in five employees has an underlying health condition that limits their ability to work. These can range from cardiovascular disease to diabetes to fibromyalgia and numerous MSK disorders, ranging from bad backs to upper limb complaints.
As the workforce ages, the risk of employees developing an underlying condition increase, meaning as soon as anything else goes wrong, they will then have multiple conditions.
Employers will therefore need to better plan for this and reconsider the workplace environment to consider how best to accommodate multiple adjustments. For example, by introducing equipment to literally lighten the load when it comes to manual roles or thinking of ways to accommodate the need for people to have more breaks or work less intensely.
Panel Discussion: How to support an employee with a critical illness to remain in work | 9.30am Wednesday 30 April 2025
Join our clinical team of experts as they take your questions and discuss the dos and don’ts of supporting employees with a critical illness to remain in work. We will be discussing:
Why critical illness is on the rise and how long individuals with conditions ranging from cancer to heart or Parkinson’s disease can expect to remain in their role
The role of managers for encourage employees struggling with symptoms to come forward for support, instead of attempting to hide their condition
How to balance the needs of the individual with the organisation and adjust support, in keeping with legal requirements, as someone’s condition progresses over time
How can PAM Group help?
PAM OH Solutions timely access to occupational health professionals can support the employee to better manage the overall strain being placed on them and identify reasonable adjustments that could be put in place to prevent them from going off sick/quitting.
Case conferences opportunity for the employee, or their representatives, their manager, HR, occupational health and relevant external health professionals to have an open and honest conversation about what the employee can and can’t do and how best to support them.
Workforce Planning consultancy service to understand the likely impact of an aging workforce and multiple health conditions on the ability of employees to attend and perform at work. Plus insight on proactive steps that can be taken to support people to stay in work.
If you would like to discuss the opportunities for better supporting carers at your organisation, please email us to set up a free consultation at info@pamgroup.co.uk
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