Navigating work can be challenging for people living with IBD, but practical strategies and workplace supports can help.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects hundreds of thousands of Canadians, or roughly 0.8 per cent of the population. IBD symptoms vary, but often include gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, and bowel urgency — the sudden, immediate need to access a washroom, often with little warning.
These disruptive symptoms can make work challenging for people living with IBD, and the symptoms’ unpredictability adds another layer of stress, especially in structured work environments. While someone living with IBD may appear fine outwardly, they could be dealing with stress and fatigue internally, impacting their mental focus and productivity.
“People living with IBD may be suffering in silence,” says Tara Petch, Vice-President of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives at the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, Canada’s trusted resource on digestive health. “Getting through the day can be a challenge that isn’t always visible to others.”
But while IBD can affect someone’s ability to work, it doesn’t have to define it. Managing IBD in the workplace effectively starts with education, support, and proactivity.
Managing the workplace challenges of life with IBD
“Even before leaving the house, people living with IBD may experience symptoms such as abdominal pain and multiple urgent trips to the bathroom,” says Petch. “These symptoms can persist throughout the day, making it difficult for employers and colleagues to understand they might be late, absent, or need frequent trips to the restroom.”
From airport travel, lunch meetings, and long boardroom sessions to brain fog and fatigue, people living with IBD face many workplace challenges.
“When I’m feeling good, I double down on my work,” says Steve Holbrook, a Calgary-based father of three who has Crohn’s disease. “This creates space in my calendar for when I need to rest or attend a doctor’s appointment.”
The best thing employers can do for employees with IBD is to check in on them and create an environment where they feel cared about and supported.
This type of proactive planning can reduce stress, as can planning ahead for washroom access, managing symptoms, and communicating needs clearly.
“Be transparent with your team when you’re having a flare-up,” says Holbrook. “This will help you feel supported and reduce the guilt that can come with needing to take care of yourself.”
Fostering more supportive workplaces
IBD is associated with reduced productivity and increased absenteeism, but many people with IBD perform at high levels. Workplace flexibility, supportive policies, work-from-home options, health benefits, and open communication can all support employees living with IBD.
People living with IBD may be suffering in silence.
“Greater awareness and understanding can make a meaningful difference,” says Petch. “Through education and empathetic communication, workplaces can foster a more supportive environment, in turn supporting performance and productivity.”
“The best thing employers can do for employees with IBD is to check in on them and create an environment where they feel cared about and supported,” says Holbrook.
To learn more about navigating IBD in the workplace, visit cdhf.ca.