185 | Cancer at Work: How to Support Employees Through Diagnosis, Treatment and Beyond (with Tara Ferguson)

Cancer affects far more people in the workplace than many of us realise. As HR professionals, there may be times when you're supporting an employee with a cancer diagnosis, someone undergoing treatment, a colleague living with the long-term effects of cancer, or an employee who is caring for a loved one affected by it.

Knowing that support matters is one thing. Feeling confident about what to say, what practical help to offer, and how to create the right support across your organisation is another.

In this episode, Fay is joined by Tara Ferguson, Founder of Onward With You. Drawing on more than 20 years in senior HR roles and her own experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, Tara shares practical advice to help HR teams and managers better support people affected by cancer at work. Together, they explore the role good line management can play, the reality of living with cancer beyond active treatment, and the steps organisations can take to build greater cancer confidence.

What You’ll Learn

• Why cancer should increasingly be considered a long-term condition rather than a short-term illness
• The scale of cancer's impact on today's workforce, including employees with caring responsibilities
• What Tara's line manager did that made such a positive difference during her diagnosis and treatment
• Why work can sometimes play an important role in someone's recovery and wellbeing during treatment
• What HR professionals need to understand about legal protections and reasonable adjustments
• How to approach the first conversation when someone shares a cancer diagnosis with you
• Practical steps organisations can take to improve awareness, support and manager capability

Chapters

[0:00] Introduction: Cancer at Work

[01:15] Meet Tara Ferguson

[02:50] Tara's Story: From HR to Cancer Diagnosis

[03:48] The Changing Face of Cancer in the Workplace

[05:12] How Tara Is Now: The Ongoing Impact

[08:07] Cancer in the Workplace: The Statistics

[11:36] What Good Line Manager Support Looks Like

[15:32] The Positive Role of Work During Treatment

[17:13] Legal Protections & Reasonable Adjustments

[19:05] Supporting Employees with Hidden Cancer Diagnoses

[21:40] Having the First Conversation About Cancer

[24:20] Organisation-Wide HR Strategies

[27:26] Book Recommendation & Resources

[29:27] How to Reach Tara

[29:55] Key Takeaways & Closing

Useful Links and Resources

• Visit Tara's website: Onward With You
• Connect with Tara Ferguson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Fay Wallis on LinkedIn
• Learn about Fay's Inspiring HR Leadership Programme
• Treat yourself to a copy of The Essential HR Planner

Books and Resources Recommended in This Episode

The Leopard in My House, by Mark Steel

Tara also mentions a number of resources available through Onward With You, including:

• A guide covering 12 common questions HR professionals and line managers ask about supporting employees affected by cancer
• The Cancer Confidence Framework
• The Cancer Confidence HR Masterclass

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