Helping employees cope with long COVID
How employers can help combat chronic conditions caused by COVID-19.
Although an effective COVID-19 vaccine has been developed and a significant percentage of Americans have been vaccinated, the pandemic isn’t over. States are reopening, but variant strains are circulating with increasing rates of infection and death. Caution is pitted against pandemic fatigue and people’s desire to just return to normal.
Related: When will the new “new normal” come for small businesses?
Meanwhile, millions of people in America and around the world are suffering from health issues even 30 days after their diagnosis, including a significant percentage of people experiencing “Long COVID,” also known as Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 or PASC. PASC includes persistent or new symptoms that develop at least four weeks after the initial infection.
Who is being affected?
Research shows about 10% of people infected with COVID-19 suffer from PASC. It can happen to anyone, and some people might experience long-term effects even if their early COVID-19 symptoms were mild to moderate, and irrespective of whether they were hospitalized for it. PASC symptoms include a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems some people experience after first being diagnosed with the virus that causes COVID-19. These conditions cause different types and combinations of health issues for varying lengths of time up to a year after the initial diagnosis. Research continues to gain an understanding of this post-viral syndrome and its long-term impact on the workplace.
The role of the workplace in helping employees with PASC
Employees with PASC are likely to become one of the largest groups of workers requiring accommodations. Employers need to take employees’ complaints seriously and be prepared to understand their condition. Managers should be trained to offer appropriate resources whenever an employee discloses a condition that may be impacting their work, starting with encouraging them to talk with their existing provider(s) and suggesting they contact HR.
Employers can utilize a 6-step process for talking with employees who may be struggling with PASC:
- Identify work-related issues, focusing on objective descriptions of any concerning behaviors (such as tardiness, decreased productivity, and so on)
- Meet in private with the employee to discuss the identified issues
- Ask an open-ended question in a nonjudgmental, empathetic manner, such as, “How can I help?”
- Listen with minimal interruptions and questions
- Connect the employee with appropriate resources to help them cope
- Establish a clear follow-up plan the employee is comfortable with
As employers explore their return-to-office scenarios, there could be a large group of employees returning to the office or performing hybrid schedules that will have new diagnoses and disabilities stemming from PASC.
Accommodating employees with PASC
PASC symptoms are similar to COVID-19 symptoms and can include additional or new symptoms that may be subjective. Those are symptoms that only the patient can perceive, including things like pain or fatigue. There are no objective tests to confirm those issues, so the treating provider – and everyone else – must take the patient’s word for it.
Among the most common symptoms:
- Anxiety or depression
- Chest pain and palpitations
- Cognitive impairment or “brain fog”
- Joint pain
- Sleep problems
While the subjective nature of the complaints and variability of symptoms pose challenges, by looking at the whole person and understanding there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to accommodations, employers can find solutions and effective strategies to keep employees in the workplace and help them remain productive.
From a disability management perspective, symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, and difficulty with concentration are also common in other chronic conditions that disability professionals have accommodated for years.
It is important for employers to objectively review each employee’s specific limitations and restrictions related to PASC and offer accommodations. By looking at how other chronic conditions are successfully accommodated, employers can apply similar insights into supporting employees’ needs. Providing accommodations and offering supportive programs can be real differentiators in achieving measurable results for stay at work and return to work scenarios.
Use your resources and partner with experts
Employers may struggle with balancing the needs of their business with the needs of their employees, but they don’t have to approach these challenges alone. Effective accommodations exist for employees experiencing symptoms associated with PASC, and employers can partner with experts to identify and implement them. A disability insurance provider is often the best choice for assisting with these issues, given that their staff specialize in accommodating a wide range of medical conditions.
Looking ahead
As the pandemic evolves, it appears likely COVID-19 will remain endemic, and there will continue to be a significant number of PASC cases in the future. Managing employees with PASC is probably going to pose an ongoing challenge for employers.
This is a condition that does not have to be difficult or expensive to address. With the right experts on hand, PASC can be addressed in the workplace and employees can remain productive.
Providing support to employees may help avoid employee turnover as the pandemic resolves and will lead to better morale, more positive relationships between workers, higher productivity, and lower costs.
Disclaimer: This information is for general educational purposes only. It should not be relied upon or treated as legal or medical advice or substitute as advice for any particular diagnosis, accommodation or circumstance. You should not act or rely on any information contained in this document without first seeking the advice of an attorney or an appropriate treatment provider.
Dr. Charles Glassman is an associate medical director for The Standard. Dr. Glassman joined The Standard as a physician consultant in 2016. In 2018, he was promoted to an associate medical director (AMD) and has become a valuable member of the AMD team. Prior to joining The Standard, he practiced general internal medicine for over 30 years in Pomona, NY. During the course of his career, Dr. Glassman has earned multiple awards such as Top Doctor, Compassionate Doctor and being elected as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP).
Daniel N. Jolivet, Ph.D., is the Workplace Possibilities practice consultant at The Standard, where he provides leadership, analysis, and consultative insights into the Workplace Possibilities service line. He is a designated subject matter expert on Stay at Work and Return to Work services, ADA, and behavioral health. He is a clinical psychologist licensed in Georgia and Oregon, and he has worked in behavioral health since 1980. Prior to joining The Standard, Dan worked in managed behavioral health care organizations for 20 years in a variety of management roles, and he was in clinical practice as a child psychologist until 2003.
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