{"id":28888,"date":"2022-11-11T17:05:50","date_gmt":"2022-11-11T22:05:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/?p=28888"},"modified":"2025-04-12T11:44:53","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T15:44:53","slug":"4-tips-to-support-employees-with-diabetes-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/blog\/4-tips-to-support-employees-with-diabetes-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"4 tips to support employees with diabetes in the workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the past decades, Canadians have experienced rising rates of diabetes. <\/span>Today, about <\/span>one in three Canadians<\/span><\/a> lives with some form of diabetes or prediabetes.<\/span> As more Canadians than ever before experience the <\/span>impact of diabetes<\/span>, employers must put in place policies to support these employees in the workplace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While some employers may feel concerned <\/span>about diabetes<\/span> harming their bottom line, others recognize that they can play an essential role in helping employees reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, or <\/span>manage or reduce the risk of type 1 or 2 diabetes<\/span> complications.<\/span><\/p>\n

So why should <\/span>employers care about diabetes, <\/span>and<\/span> what are the employer\u2019s responsibilities towards employees with diabetes<\/span>? Moreover, how can employers better understand the needs of employees who need <\/span>diabetes care<\/span>? Here\u2019s everything you need to know.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s diabetes?
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Diabetes is <\/span>a lifelong medical condition<\/span><\/a> that involves the body being unable to produce enough insulin or adequately use the insulin it has produced.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>Insulin is a hormone that controls the level of glucose, a form of sugar, in your bloodstream. Your body can produce glucose or get it from food, and it\u2019s a crucial source of energy for the cells in your body. Insulin helps your cells take up the glucose from your bloodstream and use it for energy. Insulin resistance, or not having enough insulin in your body, can lead to higher levels of glucose in your bloodstream.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the different types of diabetes?<\/h3>\n

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas produces no insulin. This form of diabetes can\u2019t be prevented, and employees living with type 1 diabetes need insulin to live, which they can get through an injection or an insulin pump.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another form of diabetes, type 2 diabetes, can be developed when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin or when the body stops adequately using the insulin that\u2019s produced. Many people with type 2 diabetes can manage the condition with diet and exercise, though medication can also be required.<\/span><\/p>\n

When a person is pregnant, the body can also stop adequately producing or using insulin. This is called \u201cGestational diabetes\u201d, and it affects around <\/span>5% of all pregnancies<\/span><\/a>. This form of diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born, but both mother and child can remain at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Signs and symptoms of diabetes<\/h3>\n

Though not everyone who has diabetes will show symptoms, some of the most common warning signs of the development of diabetes most commonly include:<\/span><\/p>\n