At Excel against the Odds, my aim is to empower organisations to support any employees that have chronic illnesses or disabilities. Public Health England state that 30% of the working age population suffer from at least one chronic condition and so it is likely that most organisations will find that they have multiple employees with health issues. This is likely to become an even greater number as a result of the prevalence of Long Covid. Not all employees feel comfortable disclosing information about their long term health conditions and, as a result, many organisations won’t be aware of the exact number of employees that are affected.
Employers need to consider how they support their employees to stay in the workplace. If steps are taken early enough, it is possible to reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and reduce turnover. It will also secure their position as a leader in Diversity, Equality and Inclusion.
Many customers (30% of the population) will also be living with chronic illness / disability. Having the insights of employees living with these conditions will help to ensure that products and services and the general approach of an organisation meet the needs of these clients.
Having worked within corporate organisations while also living with chronic illnesses and having worked with and supported many people with chronic illnesses /disabilities, I can help you to develop strategies to create an environment that is supportive of these employees, empowers them to ask for support and enables them to have a successful career.
I can offer a number of solutions to suit your needs. These include but are not limited to:
Chronic Illness Workplace Ambassadors
Chronic Illness Workplace Ambassadors receive training to enable them to be a point of contact within their organisation so that they can provide support to employees with chronic illnesses. 33% of people with chronic illnesses do not disclose their condition at work, but a Chronic Illness Workplace Ambassador can provide confidential support and ensure that are given the appropriate advice.
Workshops for Managers on how to support employees with chronic illnesses
Employees with chronic illnesses have unique challenges and require individualised support. I provide managers with the tools to enable them to ask the right questions and understand how an employee is affected by their condition. We will look at how adjustments can be made to provide the correct support enabling the employee to be an asset to the organisation.
One to One Mentoring for employees with chronic illnesses and / or their managers
I can provide one to one mentoring to both employees with chronic illnesses and / or their managers to enable them to work in a way that supports their needs. I can help with ways of working, reasonable adjustments and mindset to help employees reach their potential and work well within the business.
Advising an organisation on workplace strategy to support employees with chronic illnesses
I can work with you to help you to develop the right strategies that help to create a workplace that is supportive of employees with chronic illnesses, empowers them to ask for support and enables them to use their strengths and experiences to have a successful career which strongly benefits the organisation.
Testimonials
“Sarah presented an outstanding webinar followed by a Q&A session on how best to support chronic illnesses in the workplace for us at NHS Professionals. The presentation was exceptional and really highlighted the vast number of chronic illnesses whilst linking this to the individuality of each case and how the support needs to be tailored.
What really set Sarah apart was her genuine empathy and understanding when answering the questions of a very intrigued audience and a lasting impression has certainly been made on a lot of people according to the feedback we received afterwards. Sarah’s knowledge, compassion and ability to communicate effectively made for a very valuable experience that has inspired many of our colleagues to consider the practical solutions that Sarah suggested and to learn more about inclusivity in the workplace. We will look forward to working together again in the future.”
Connor Heeley, NHS Professionals
Please contact me to set up a call to discuss how I can help you.