Russian companies are not prepared for oncology among employees

Most Russian companies do not have procedures in place in case an employee is diagnosed with cancer or another critical illness. Moreover, most employers in one form or another support the employee in such a situation; in particular, more than two thirds of companies are ready to keep an employee’s job for a period of long-term treatment. These are the results of a survey for World Cancer Day conducted by the online recruiting platform HH.ru and the consulting company Diversity brand, the Tinkov Family Foundation and the Leukemia Foundation. Some companies say that they do not have free resources to support sick employees and consider cancer treatment a government matter, but researchers believe that such a position can lead to additional costs and decreased employee loyalty.

World Cancer Day is celebrated on February 4th. By this date, the authors of the survey decided to assess the readiness of Russian business for the situation of cancer among employees. The survey took place from December 17 to December 28, 2023, and the heads of 138 companies from different cities of Russia took part in it.

70% of surveyed employers called their business human-centric, that is, focused on improving the quality of life of employees and clients (22% disagreed with this assessment, and 8% found it difficult to answer). 67% of respondents say that human health and well-being is a value for their company. At the same time, only 8% of companies have a procedure or regulations for working in a situation where an employee is critically ill, note the authors of the survey.

62% of respondents are aware of cases of cancer among employees. Only 16% did nothing about it.

The most common (71%) reaction of the employer is to keep the sick person’s job during treatment. 49% of employers offered flexible working conditions and/or financial support to employees diagnosed with cancer (48%). In 28% of cases, financial support was provided by other employees. 16% of respondents offered the sick person a suitable alternative position within the company, 11% paid for medical care and medications, 4% offered or paid for the help of a psychologist.

Yulia Zaitseva, HR practice partner at Diversity brand, says that the statistics seem positive, but notes that almost a third of respondents (29%) do not comply with “even the minimum regulated by the Labor Code of the Russian Federation” such as maintaining a job. The head of labor practice at AB KIAP, Yulia Paushkina, points out that much can depend on the employee’s position, working conditions, his well-being and the duration of absence. “In general, during sick leave, the employee retains his job. In a number of cases, in accordance with a medical report, an employee can be transferred to another job,” comments Ms. Paushkina. “If the employee refuses a temporary transfer for a period of up to four months or the employer does not have the corresponding job, then the employer is obliged to remove the employee from work while maintaining his job work (position), but without payment of salary.”

46% of employers do not know how to act in a situation if one of their colleagues is diagnosed with cancer. 38% of respondents know what to do based on their own experience. Only 5% rely on the protocol approved by the company. 16% found it difficult to answer this question. Employers cite the lack of budget for such a case as the main barrier to systemic solutions to support employees with cancer (50% of respondents; several options could be selected). 40% believe that supporting employees with cancer diagnoses is a social issue that does not help business development. 38% do not have the time or resources for such support, 37% avoid uncomfortable topics, and 33% believe that cases of cancer are rare.

According to 21% of employers, most companies have other priorities, and 9% believe that helping cancer patients is a matter of the state.

The founder of the consulting company Diversity brand, Ekaterina Gorlova, considers the idea that cases of oncological diagnoses of employees to be rare, and helping the sick “not included in the company’s business goals,” to be a “root misconception.” “Leaving such cases to the discretion of a specific manager or HR, instead of developing an algorithm of action, a business may ultimately face financial costs due to a decrease in employee loyalty and, as a result, an increase in hiring costs,” Ms. Gorlova believes.

“Almost two-thirds of managers are faced with cases of oncology in their work team,” says Anush Hovsepyan, CEO of the Leukemia Foundation. “If appropriate changes are introduced, they will help to carry out check-ups in a timely manner, diagnose dangerous diseases, correctly route a person, start treatment in a timely manner, provide the necessary support.” Ms. Hovsepyan notes that such measures “significantly increases the chances of recovery,” but does not specify at whose expense they should be taken, and whether the employer has enough competencies to make decisions, much less create corporate algorithms for situations requiring the attention of highly qualified doctors .

Olga Goldman, director of the psychological assistance service for cancer patients at Clear Morning, points out that large companies usually have a corporate social responsibility policy, which includes concern for the well-being of their employees.

She estimates that problems with employer support are more common among patients who work in the public sector or in small companies that do not have the resources. “Government support measures exist, but they are insufficient or too difficult to obtain,” comments Ms. Goldman. At the same time, the number of “toxic” decisions of employers in relation to employees with cancer is decreasing, she notes: “Whereas previously there were often requests to the Clear Morning helpline for cancer patients that the employer had offered to resign, now there are more questions about labor law a little less than others.”

Note that in 2022, 20 million new cases of cancer and 9.7 million deaths were registered in the world. By 2050, World Health Organization experts predict more than 35 million new cases. In Russia, according to official data, about 4 million people live with this diagnosis.

Natalia Kostarnova