| p>Chronic illness. Invisible disability. Whatever you wish | | | | when I'm in a lot of pain or discomfort. It takes a lot of |
| to call it, one in three employees now has a medical | | | | effort and is mentally and physically exhausting but I |
| condition that impacts their productivity at work. Unlike | | | | don't show it at work. |
| acute illnesses, chronic conditions are unpredictable, | | | | At least they have the weekend/evening to relax. |
| invisible and long lasting. I know from experience that | | | | If you have read point number 3, you realize that it's |
| this concept is difficult for many people to understand. | | | | easy for the chronically sick employee to be totally |
| Here are five misconceptions about chronically ill | | | | and utterly exhausted just getting through a "normal |
| employees: | | | | day". Many days, I spend so much time fighting to be |
| They are either "sick" or "well'. | | | | professional and polite through pain, or fatigue that the |
| Unlike most people, those with underlying conditions | | | | last thing I want to do is talk to friends or socialize. |
| often feel sick every day. For them sickness is often a | | | | If they are sick they should not be at work |
| matter of degrees. | | | | While I agree with this to a point, the fact is that if |
| They can't be sick. They don't look sick | | | | someone with a chronic condition took a day off work |
| Your employee may not tell you they are sick | | | | every time they did not feel one-hundred-percent, |
| Depending on the disease, the employee may not | | | | many would never come in to work at all. I know there |
| show visible signs of illness even when they are feeling | | | | are certain tasks I can still do despite my pain or |
| quite poorly. When I get really sick I do show it, but | | | | discomfort. I would rather come in and do them rather |
| many days I feel terrible but look "normal". | | | | than have them pile up for me to do tomorrow when I |
| They can't be sick. They don't act sick | | | | may be feeling just as sick as I am today. |
| The ill person knows when they have to get through | | | | As you can see, life with a chronic illness can be |
| the day. Over the years I have developed | | | | complicated. It is important to keep an open mind and |
| mechanisms that allow me to function "normally" even | | | | not jump too quickly to conclusions. |