Workplace support after breast cancer treatment: recognition of vulnerability

Abstract

Upon actual return-to-work (RTW) after breast cancer treatment, women feel vulnerable but able to work and, hence, have a high need for workplace support. Support from the workplace during RTW after breast cancer treatment is experienced as adequate when it expresses genuine recognition of the individual woman's vulnerability.

Perceived employer‐related barriers and facilitators for work participation of cancer survivors: A systematic review of employers' and survivors' perspectives

“…In 2 instances, 2 studies described results using the same data, but both described supplementary barriers and facilitators and were therefore included . This resulted in a total of 47 studies, describing 45 different populations . Most studies were conducted in European ( n = 25) or North‐American ( n = 15) countries.…”

“…Survivors perceived continuous, regular, and weekly contact as a facilitator, while a lack of communication or no communication at all was perceived as barrier for cancer survivors' work participation . Positive, respectful, and personal interactions were perceived as facilitators, while negative, poor, ambiguous, frightening, patronising, discouraging, and pressuring communication from employers were perceived by survivors as barriers for their work participation . Discussing a survivor's work plan was perceived as facilitating their work participation: “ So I went and spoke with my manager (…) and we were able to sort out which projects, which teaching assignments, which tasks, which meetings I would have to miss due to my radiation treatments.…”

“…Positive, respectful, and personal interactions were perceived as facilitators, while negative, poor, ambiguous, frightening, patronising, discouraging, and pressuring communication from employers were perceived by survivors as barriers for their work participation . Discussing a survivor's work plan was perceived as facilitating their work participation: “ So I went and spoke with my manager (…) and we were able to sort out which projects, which teaching assignments, which tasks, which meetings I would have to miss due to my radiation treatments. And we looked at a transition plan for that longer period of time ” (p. 1044) .…”

“…And we looked at a transition plan for that longer period of time ” (p. 1044) . In addition, conversations about the survivor's limitations to RTW and possible work adjustments, keeping the survivor up to date, and asking how he/she is doing were also perceived by survivors as facilitating their work participation …”

“…Different studies have also emphasised that survivors perceive employers' social support, positive attitude, and understanding as important . At the same time, a discriminating or stigmatising employer may hinder work participation of cancer survivors or makes it more stressful for the survivor . In addition, survivors report that employers lack knowledge about how to deal with cancer in the workplace .…”