Research

Challenges

  • Work priorities vary over a non-linear recovery process

  • Being a cancer survivor is becoming less obvious as treatment reduces physical changes

  • Unique cancer experiences and diverse workplaces mean there is no ‘one-size fits all’

  • “Intersecting issues, e.g., fatigue, anxiety, and job demands” ⁴

  • A full HR agenda limits capacity for cancer specific policies

  • Information about cancer and work-cancer support is available, yet awareness is limited

  • Effectual support requires new skills for employee and employer

  • Balancing business priorities and employee needs

Pathways to Improve Work | Career Outcomes

Create a CancerKind workplace

Rudimentary

  • Acknowledge, understand, connect

  • Build a RTW plan (priorities/capability/capacity)

  • Provide Employee Assistance Program

  • Embrace diversity, inclusion & equity policy

  • Clear HR, WHS and privacy policies

  • Comply with legal obligations

Positive impact on employee’s quality of life and wellbeing, and employer’s culture and productivity

Standard

Provide emotional support

Reduce tasks

Reduce hours and

days/week

Allow use of all leave entitlements

Increase breaks

Increase time off (energy & appointments)

Enable work from anywhere

Enable flexible hours

Co-design individual’s RTW plan

1 mil+ People in Australia living with or have lived with cancer ⁵

30-40% Diagnosed are aged 20-59 ⁶

21% Growth is breast cancer by 2031 (leading cancer in females ⁶

42% Women diagnosed with breast cancer are of working age ⁶

CancerKind

Training

  • Understanding cancer

  • Starting a conversation

  • Customising a RTW plan

  • Peer support

  • Communication skills

  • How to make adjustments

  • Decision making skills

Navigate Work / Career and Cancer

Work-Cancer network groups (all cancers)

  • Share, learn and discuss experiences in a safe, supportive, environment.

  • connect with others (small groups)

  • give and receive support

  • access information

  • share thoughts and ideas

Positive
impact on quality
of life and emotional wellbeing

My manager’s perspective

“a close professional relationship”

• Relationship tested during treatment

• Challenged by lack of awareness

• No idea of the long and difficult journey

• Provided time / support ahead of assessing viable RTW options

• Balanced Sue’s needs against pressure and obligations of a senior role

• Challenged when assessing potential roles and adjustments

• Considered Sue’s mental and physical challenges

• Extremely hard to see a pathway forward…

Empathetic

  • Create a positive health, wellness, energy management culture

  • Eliminate medical forms

  • Limit meetings

  • Adjust accountabilities

  • Moderate time-bound tasks

  • Minimise task complexity, multi-tasking

  • Increase time to complete tasks

  • Provide additional paid health leave

  • Enhance functional support (chronic illness specialist)

  • Allocate a ‘buddy’ for peer support

  • Track progress and improve support

Coaching / mentoring

  • Assist people to navigate the impact of their diagnosis, treatment and side-effects has on their work, professional development, and career. 

  • one-on-one setting

  • self-care and self management

  • ‘new self’ development

Positive
impact on quality of life and emotional wellbeing

Empowered
and confident
to achieve work |
career goals

  • Secure job and salary

  • (1 year)

  • Allocate a work/career-cancer coach

  • Pre-approved accommodations

  • Appoint job-shadow/share resource

  • Establish internal support groups

  • Provide support for carers

Information and networking forums

  • Inspire and learn from leaders and those with lived-cancer experience.

  • create broad supportive networks

  • knowledge sharing, e.g. effective communication with your manager; negotiating workplace adjustments; and careers during survivorship.

Alleviate
burden
shoulders
by survivors 4 and
new horizons
imagined

Lived Experience

My perspective

“a valued relationship, an exceptional leader”

• Relationship tested, job and 40 year career disrupted

• Didn’t know what I didn’t know – lacked awareness

• No idea of the long, difficult journey – recovery not a linear process

• Calls became less frequent, felt empathy and understanding waned

• Lost control, confidence diminished and felt burdensome

• RTW plan left me believing the best option was to leave

• Self-reflection enabled post-traumatic growth

• Time healed my sense of loss and grief