What Are Your First Thoughts?

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Onder: My first thoughts were to my family and to me, but work was really high up theres. I remember that conversation you and i had about it, and i remember thinking, let's not worry about what other people think or the added level of comfort. But yet, as a manager, that you have to think about that, even when it's about you personally. Onder told her, did you think about those kinds of reactions and how you would handle them?

When an acute or chronic health issue disrupts our work life, how do we let our bosses and coworkers know? How vulnerable should we be? And, as managers, how do we best support an employee who discloses a diagnosis? We talk with two women who’ve had to consider these questions while navigating illnesses, and they share advice on disclosing and discussing health issues with colleagues.

Guests:

Maureen Hoch is the editor of HBR.org and the supervising editor of Women at Work.

Laurie Edwards is a writer, a writing instructor at Northeastern University, and an advocate for people with chronic illnesses. Her books are Life Disrupted and In the Kingdom of the Sick.

Resources: