Promoting healthy work for workers with chronic illness: A guide to good practice

Chronic illnesses are becoming increasingly more frequent and pose an individual, corporate and social burden. They reduce the quality of life of those affected, lower the economic output, increase the social and health issues, and often lead to early retirement. Help for people with chronic disease often means making it possible for those affected to continue their work. The European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP) has published a guide to good practice, which is primarily aimed at employers and managers who are faced with the challenges and opportunities of managing workers with chronic illness and supporting them to stay at work, or to assist in the process of returning to work after a period of absence. Many workers who develop and present with chronic illnesses have a valuable contribution to make to the European workforce which should not be overlooked.