Coping with Diabetes in the Workplace: Practical Insights for Employees, Employers & Health-care Teams by Dr. Kirk Christie

"I see a future where all people who have mental disorders and emotional difficulties can feel empowered to seek and receive the highest quality of mental healthcare that is available to them. Additionally, that we all better understand the importance of mental health to our overall health and development, as a nation“

~Dr. Kirk Christie

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.       

~Albert Einstein

Introduction:

• Many adults with diabetes spend a large portion of their waking hours at work (approximately 8-9 hrs/day).

• The workplace can influence health, stress, routines, breaks, meals and self-care.

• Good workplace support can improve health, job retention and quality of life; poor

  support can hinder self-care and increase risk of complications.

• According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) survey of Nov 2025,

  around 40% of employees living with diabetes reported negative treatment at work

  because of their medical condition

• For clergy, pastors, nurses and doctors: recognizing the workplace dimension

  helps you support people in congregations or care settings.

Numbers and Facts:

A 2024 study of 316 patients in Casablanca found that 39.5% said their working hours were incompatible with meals and treatment.

A 2023 qualitative study of people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) found that although participants said their diabetes “did not cause problems at work”, their descriptions revealed it did in fact affect them.

From a workplace safety and productivity vantage: one review notes that for every 1,000 employees there may be 1 to 3 severe hypoglycemic events per month — illustrating risk and the need for awareness of Diabetes.

The workplace is a meaningful arena for diabetes coping, beyond the community clinic.

Coping in The Work Place:

“Coping” means how people with diabetes manage their condition while meeting work demands.

Includes: scheduling meals/snacks, taking insulin or other medications, testing blood glucose, dealing with lows (hypoglycemia) or highs (hyperglycemia), managing stress, communicating with colleagues/management, adjusting shifts/tasks.

Also includes the role of the employer/workplace: flexibility, understanding, accommodations, healthy environment, breaks, education.

For health professionals and clergy: coping relates to both the individual’s strategies and the environment they are in.

Challenges in The Work Place:

Time pressures: meeting deadlines, shifts, travel, lack of predictable breaks. e.g: In the Casablanca study, approximately 40% found working hours incompatible with meals/treatment.

Stress and job demands can worsen glucose control (e.g., a 2017 cohort found that increased task stressors and decreased coping resources were associated with higher risk of developing T2D

Stigma, misunderstanding and discrimination: 79% of people with diabetes in a recent report said they faced bias or misunderstanding at work.

Coping Strategies:

Routine: Having regular meal/snack times, aligning testing/medication with work schedule.

Communication: Letting your manager or supervisor know (as comfortable) about your condition, what to do in a hypo/hyper event, ensuring someone knows.

Self‐management: Stress-management behaviours are linked to better self-care. For example, a 2023 Ethiopian study found stress-management behaviours were positively associated with self-care in T2D.

Prioritizing diabetes care: a 2025 study in Malaysian women found that perceiving diabetes as a priority, having psychological resources (e.g., problem-focused coping) and social support helped self-care.

Being prepared: Carrying snacks, glucose-monitoring supplies, understanding your patterns at work, knowing break procedures.

Advocating for yourself: requesting reasonable adjustments (breaks, schedule flexibility, a place to test/store supplies etc.).

Role of The Work Place:

Education: Employers and insurers are encouraged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support workplace diabetes management.

Reasonable adjustments: Allowing flexible break times, having safe food/snack options, allowing the person to step away for testing/insulin, providing a fridge for insulin, etc.

Creating a supportive culture: Reducing stigma, increasing awareness among colleagues and managers, normalizing self-care needs. The IDF global survey highlights that stigma and misunderstanding remain widespread.

Designing work to accommodate: For example, shift work may interfere with meals/medications — redesigning or allowing alternate assignments could be very helpful.

Monitoring and safety policies: Especially in roles that carry safety risk (driving, heavy machinery), having clear policies and supports is important.

Role of Clergy, Nurses and Doctors:

lClergy/pastors/faith-leaders: You may counsel or support people whose work life and health intersect. Being aware that diabetes management is not just a medical issue but also a work-life issue helps you offer support, understanding, and referrals (to occupational health, employers, diabetes educators).

Nurses: In your role you may need to ask about work context when treating diabetic patients: “What does your workday look like? When are your breaks? Are you able to test/take medication as you need?”

Doctors: When advising patients, consider what workplace barriers might be affecting their diabetes control (irregular meals, shift work, stress, lack of breaks). Engage with workplace‐adaptation strategies.

All: Encourage a holistic view: health, work, social life, stress environment. Collaboration between patient, employer, healthcare team improves outcomes

Tips for Employees in The Work Place:

Map your typical work‐day: when you test, when you eat, when you take medication/insulin, when you might have highs/lows.

Talk with your manager/HR about your needs (if comfortable): snack breaks, testing space, storing supplies.

Keep supplies at work: glucose meter, test strips, snack, insulin supplies (if needed), emergency contact.

Know your hypo/hyper signs and plan for what to do: where to go, who to tell.

Manage stress: use brief breaks, relaxation techniques, adjust workload where possible.

Priorities self-care: don’t skip tests or meals to “get through work” — this may cost more later.

Tips for The Employers/Managers:

Make it clear that employees with diabetes are supported, breaks are allowed for self-care.

Offer education to staff/line-managers: what is diabetes, how it can affect work, what to do in an emergency situation.

Provide a healthy work environment: snack options, fridge access, flexibility for meals.

Review shift patterns, workload, and check if any adjustments are needed.

Foster a culture of openness and support: reduce stigma, encourage disclosure if beneficial, train managers.

Possible Solutions:

Fear of disclosure /stigma → Solution: anonymous education, peer support groups, encourage open dialogue. The 2024 study found many chose to disclose early but concerns remain.

Irregular schedules/travel → Solution: Work with supervisor to build in flexibility, snack bags, travel kits, remote meeting options.

Stress and heavy workload → Solution: Stress‐management training, realistic workload, scheduled breaks; recall the study linking increased stressors and decreased coping resources to higher diabetes risk.

Lack of knowledge among managers/colleagues → Solution: Awareness training, create clear workplace policy, empower champions.

Safety concerns (e.g., driving, heavy machinery) → Solution: Risk assessment, clear protocols, allow for safe break times, peer support.

Integrating Spiritual Awareness (Faith-Based Leaders)

Work and vocation are part of how people derive dignity and purpose; diabetes management can feel like a burden or distraction from mission.

Recognize the emotional, spiritual dimension.

Encourage congregants/employees to consider their health and work as not in conflict with their calling but part of stewardship of their body and vocation.

Provide a space where people can share their work–health struggles confidentially. Consider group support, peer mentoring.

Partner with health professionals: e.g., invite a doctor, nurse or diabetes educator to speak at a church health event or workplace wellness day

Summary

The workplace is a significant environment for diabetes management, both risk and opportunity.

Coping effectively means both individual strategies and workplace supports are working in tandem.

Evidence shows: stress at work, poor schedules, stigma and lack of support all negatively affect diabetes outcomes; conversely, structured workplace interventions can improve outcomes.

For healthcare professionals and faith leaders/clergy: ask about work context, support disclosure and accommodations, partner with employer/HRD as needed.

Encourage workplaces to view diabetes support as good for health and productivity.

Practical steps: mapping routines, advocating for adjustments, creating supportive culture, integrating self-care into work life.

“The best preparation for tomorrow is to do today’s work superbly well. Live not in the past nor in the future, but in the day’s compartments that Providence has allotted you. Fill each hour with the best service you can render, and tomorrow will care for itself.

By giving your full strength and attention to the duties at hand, you free yourself from the anxieties that sap health and courage. Do the day’s work as if no other were to follow, and you will find both peace of mind and readiness for whatever tomorrow may bring.”

~Sir William Osler, 1913

References Cited:

International Diabetes Federation. Negative workplace treatment of people with diabetes. Brussels: IDF; 2025. International Diabetes Federation. Negative workplace treatment affects 40 % of employees living with diabetes [Internet]. Brussels (Belgium): IDF; 2025 Nov 12 Available from: https://idf.org/news/negative-workplace-treatment

Dlimi M, et al. Diabetic patient in the workplace: between obstacles and professional reintegration. Occup Med (Lond). 2024;74(Suppl 1):S51–S57.

Han H, et al. Work-based continuous glucose monitoring and structured education improves glycemic outcomes. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2023;17(4):1091-9.

Daskalou V, et al. The dynamics of diabetes disclosure in the workplace. Workplace Health Saf. 2024;72(6):311-8.

Kebede T, et al. Association of stress-management behavior with diabetic self-care practice. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023;23:9752.

Osler W. A Way of Life. New York: The Paul B. Hoeber Company; 1913.

Ouhessaine S, Ouahmane A, Essabah Haraj N, El Aziz S, Chadli A. The diabetic patient in the workplace: between obstacles and professional reintegration. Occup Med. 2024;74(Suppl 1):P-179. doi:10.1093/occmed/kqae023.0709.

The British Safety Council. The five business risks of the type 2 diabetes epidemic. 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diabetes management for employers and insurers. Atlanta: CDC; 2024.

For more information, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Kirk Christie, Consultant Psychiatrist at <info@kirkchristie.com> or at URL: www.kirkchristie.com; office-327-8719/327-8718