Diabetes in the Workplace: Help Your Employees Cope

Unfortunately, diabetes is on the rise: The most recent Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey says roughly 26 million Americans have diabetes—a 10.4% increase from last year. And it’s no surprise that obesity, which leads to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, is also on the rise. But diet and exercise can significantly reduce the potential complications of diabetes, or, in the case of Type 2 diabetes, reverse the disease all together. So what can management do to help employees?

Follow the four P’s:
Promote Physical Activity: Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise before work, during lunch, or after work can improve blood sugar levels, burn calories, and decrease the risk of obesity.

Provide Healthy Options: Replace the deskside chocolate bucket with sugar-free mints or low-calorie, sugar-free gum. And does your vending machine exclusively carry sugary, fat-laden snacks? Ask about installing whole grain crackers, individual almond packs, or fresh fruit options.

Praise Healthy Changes: If you notice your employees making better choices (say, a whole wheat turkey sandwich from home verses pizza from the corner deli) reward them with incentives like the option to leave 30 minutes early one Friday to squeeze in some exercise before the weekend. Or lace up your walking shoes during lunch and bond with your employees.

Popularize Education: Remind your employees that a healthy lifestyle is attainable to everyone in and out of the office. Tacking up posters, providing brochures and supplying other educational materials will ensure the message stays with each individual.

Know the Basics:

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin (the hormone responsible for converting sugar into energy) or the cells ignore the insulin, which leads to a build-up of sugar in the blood. Left untreated, Type 2 diabetes can lead to blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and is commonly linked to obesity. It can be managed through diet, exercise, and doctor prescribed oral medication.

Warning signs for Type 2 diabetes:

• Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Don’t know if you’re overweight or obese? Check the body mass index (BMI) calculator.
• Family history of diabetes
• A family background that is African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, or Pacific Islander.
• High blood pressure—140/90 mmHg or above—or being treated for high blood pressure.
• Increased thirst.
• Increased hunger (especially after eating).
• Frequent urination.
• Fatigue (weak, tired feeling).
• Blurred vision.
• Numbness or tingling of the hands or feet.

Type I diabetes occurs when the body does not produce insulin. Typically diagnosed in young adults and children, Type I cannot be cured and is maintained through daily insulin shots.

To help make employees with Type I comfortable in the workplace:

• Consider installing a device in the bathroom for needle disposal.
• Alert coworkers (with employee permission) to the condition and what to do in case of an emergency.
• Make various forms of sugar readily available—such as juice and hard candy—in the event of a low blood sugar situation.
• Encourage healthy snacks and eating habits around the office.

Helpful resources:

Calculate your risk for Type 2 diabetes

American Diabetes Association