Common long-term condition symptoms
Long-term health problems can cause lots of different symptoms, and everyone feels them in their own way. These symptoms might affect the whole body, how someone thinks or feels, or how their body works. You can find more information about the different symptoms of long-term conditions on the Symptoms page.
If you’re the manager of a person with a long-term condition, it’s important to learn about the symptoms they have, not just the symptoms you expect. Each symptom can make it harder for an employee to do their job. You or the employee can suggest changes to help them. It is important to listen to the employee when they talk about their symptoms and how these affect them every day.
There are many long-term conditions. Examples are diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, epilepsy, asthma and mental health conditions. Not every long-term condition means an employee needs changes to their job. Changes are only needed if symptoms make working harder.
You can support everyone in the workplace by making sure people feel okay talking about their health. To do this, you can:
- have regular and open one-to-one chats to check how people are doing at work and with their health
- watch for changes in work or attendance and offer help if needed
- be ready to give support like flexible hours or changes to people’s workspaces
- learn about long-term conditions and how they can affect people
- find out where extra information and help is available so you can share details with employees
- challenge and stop unkind comments or behaviours
- listen kindly and without judging, because everyone’s experience is different
If someone has physical symptoms, support that may help could include:
- checking how much energy they have and how much work they can do
- helping them choose which tasks to do first
- talking about flare-ups (when symptoms get worse) and giving short-term changes when needed
- setting up a workplace assessment
- encouraging regular movement or stretching
- talking about giving short-term changes in tasks if they are in pain
If someone has non-physical symptoms, support that may help could include:
- giving clear plans, expectations and deadlines
- writing down the main points after a chat and sharing them with the employee
- being clear about which tasks are most important
- avoiding last minute urgent jobs
- telling them early if something is going to change in the future
- having kind, regular check-ins
All reasonable adjustments need to be discussed in a one-to-one meeting before they are put into place. You can find more information about reasonable adjustments on the Reasonable adjustments page. Here is a checklist of things to consider in one-to one meetings.
Before the meeting
- Look at any health details or work problems the person has shared before.
- Learn about common long-term condition symptoms and how they might affect work. Remind yourself about the symptoms of long-term conditions by going to the Symptoms page.
- Check your workplace policies for any guidance or rules on reasonable adjustments and support.
- Choose a good time for the one-to-one meeting that works for both of you.
- Make sure there is a quiet, private place for the meeting where you won’t be disturbed.
- Make a simple plan for what to talk about. You’ll find an example of an agenda for a one-to-one meeting on this page.
- Allow enough time at the meeting to understand what the employee needs and to think about possible solutions.
- Ask the employee if they are bringing someone to the meeting with them for support, such as a union representative or a colleague.
During the meeting
- Start by letting the employee know you care.
- Assure the employee you will keep things private, and that you want to help.
- Ask questions that let them explain their feelings and needs.
- Ask about how their symptoms might affect their work and wellbeing.
- Work together to find changes and reasonable adjustments that will help them. Remind yourself about reasonable adjustments by going to the Reasonable adjustments page.
- Write down what you agreed and times when things will be done by using a support action plan. There is an example of a support action plan on this page.
- Plan follow-up meetings to check what is working and learn about any new problems.
After the meeting
- Share the support action plan with the employee.
- Carry out actions to make reasonable adjustments happen.
- Check in often to see if more help is needed.
- Make sure your workplace is kind and fair.