Prediabetes in the workplace – staying healthy working 9-5

This is a complex topic as there are many different impacts on your working life after your pre-diabetes diagnosis. Almost every 9-5 is unique so we will all have varying experiences as we move forward in our jobs. Alongside our own experiences comes our own opportunities for finding the positives during such a large part of your life. If you work full time then you spend approximately 2000 hours a year at work. Personally, I have been fortunate to have worked for companies who ‘stepped up’ when I needed them. My difficulties come from how I get drawn into peer pressure and how I set far too high expectations on myself and cope badly when I think I have failed. Eating a whole packet of jam donuts as a coping mechanism isn’t good!

In the UK, pre-diabetes is not legally recognised as a disability in the same way that Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes are. However, the Equality Act 2010 means that the workplace should make ‘reasonable adjustments’ – an example of a reasonable adjustment might be where rotas are changed to allow you to take your breaks at the same time each day. Therefore, allowing you to have better control of your diet. Or providing a fridge so that you can bring in packed lunches and avoid the vending machine or canteen temptations.

In the UK, in most occupations there isn’t a legal obligation to tell your employer of your pre-diabetes. The UK Armed Forces are exempt from the Equality Act and are currently the only employer with a blanket ban on employing people with diabetes.

Therefore, you need to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages to sharing your own diagnosis.

• You have an opportunity to discuss and implement reasonable adjustments to your work pattern.
• You may find others in the same situation or find a new workplace support network.
• Your employer may have relevant employee benefits that you can access – Cycle to Work Scheme, discounted gym membership, workplace fitness and nutrition sessions.

• You may worry that your employer will think you are unable to perform your role effectively.
• You may not want to expose yourself to any additional thoughts of shame or worry of what other people might think.
• Your employer might misinterpret pre-diabetes as a sign of a future health decline with increased risk of absenteeism.

I decided to share my T2 diagnosis as my boss had Type 1 diabetes and I knew he would have a good level of understanding. That was true for a number of years until my role changed and I was spending far more time away from the office at conferences, sales, and training events. This meant I didn’t have easy access to healthy food options and my ability to keep to my exercise regime was compromised. At this point I should have spoken up but I didn’t and ended up with Diabetes Distress and a prolonged period off work. I have learnt that lesson and I am now much quicker and clearer in explaining what does / doesn’t work for me.

Everyone is different and we all have very different work circumstances. If you spend a large portion of your waking day at work (including travelling to work) then looking at whether there are opportunities to turn it into a more positive experience must be worth it.

• Could you be more active on the way to work, increasing the amount of movement in that part of your day; perhaps park the car a little further away or get off the bus a stop earlier?
• Is there a colleague you can buddy up with to go walking with during your breaks? Afterall what is good for pre-diabetes is good for everyone.
• Could you become a workplace champion? Requesting the canteen and vending machines include healthier options, advocating for a fruit bowl, encouraging other options than the celebratory birthday cakes. *As a side note, I found the work canteen had a very large amount of beige food and requested an increase in healthier options.

If you spend up to 2000 hours/year at work, then deciding how you will manage your pre-diabetes during this time is important. Either seeking support in your workplace or ensuring your home support network knows you have decided the circumstances aren’t right to share your diagnosis with your employer. The very best of luck.

Jo Sellwood

Author

Let me introduce myself as I start sharing my diabetes connected thoughts via a set of blogs for Tesu Health. I’m a relatively newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetic if you’d say that 5 years is newly diagnosed. To me it still feels like I am learning about diabetes, how to manage my own diabetes and how the medical and research community are moving forward to help us all. My diagnosis was only confirmed after I was unwell with a completely unrelated condition. It was a surprise as I thought I was fit and healthy. A vegan marathon runner probably isn’t the first person you’d expect to have T2. Over the last 5 years I’ve moved through different medication regimes and am currently injecting slow acting insulin once a day. For me, this works well in conjunction with my (self-funded) Continuous Glucose Monitor. As a way of better understanding diabetes and my own lived experience, I volunteer with DiabetesUK. I am fortunate to be an Expert by Experience as part of their Diabetes Research Steering Group which is planning the next research into the causes of diabetes. I am a huge advocate of enabling people living with diabetes to have the knowledge, skills and support to take action and thrive. I hope you enjoy reading my blogs. You can read more through my LinkedIn posts.