Chronic Medical Conditions Take Toll on Employees

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Chronic health conditions are taking a toll on the U.S. workforce”s lives and productivity, according to the results of a new Harvard University poll.

The U.S. Employee Perspectives on Managing Chronic Conditions in the Workplace poll was conducted Oct. 2 to 16, 2024, and included a nationally representative sample of the 1,010 part-time and full-time working adults ages 18 years and older who work at organizations with ≥50 employees.

Half of respondents (58 percent) reported having physical chronic health conditions, with more than three-fourths of those with chronic conditions (76 percent) needing to manage their conditions during work hours. Yet, 60 percent have not formally disclosed their conditions to their employer. Trying to balance chronic conditions and work has led to negative consequences, with 36 percent of those with chronic conditions saying they have skipped medical appointments or delayed getting care to avoid interfering with work in the past year. Furthermore, one-third of employees with chronic health conditions said they have missed out on opportunities for more hours or projects because of their conditions, and 21 percent reported receiving bad reviews or negative feedback in the past year as a result of their chronic health conditions.

“Though employers may think they know their employees” needs, poll results suggest there are widespread and frequently hidden challenges facing workers with chronic conditions,” survey lead Gillian SteelFisher, Ph.D., director of the Harvard Opinion Research Program in Boston, said in a statement. “To help retain employees in a tight job market, employers may want to have more conversations with employees about ways that they can make work “work” for everyone.”

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