Around 7 in 10 people living with diabetes are of working age, yet many face workplace challenges that others may not see
By Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott
This World Diabetes Day (14th November), we are shining a light on diabetes in the workplace. Around 7 in 10 people living with diabetes are of working age, yet many face workplace challenges that others may not see.
Managing diabetes takes daily effort: checking glucose levels, taking medication, or dosing insulin, making food choices, physical activity, and staying alert for highs and lows. Add in regular health appointments and complication screening. Diabetes is often described as a full-time job, on top of paid work. For parents of young children with diabetes, theirs is also the challenge of balancing work responsibilities while helping their child manage diabetes safely.
Supportive workplaces can make a huge difference to helping people with diabetes thrive at work. Sadly, our international research shows that up to 20% of adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have experienced discrimination at work. This can include being passed over for opportunities, facing negative comments, judgement, or exclusion. Many more report feeling uncomfortable managing their diabetes in public or at work, worried about how others might react.
This World Diabetes Day, let’s know more and do more to change that. We can all help create workplaces where people with diabetes feel understood, supported, and respected, free from stigma and discrimination.
Small actions can make a big difference:
-
-
- Take the Pledge to End Diabetes Stigma to show your commitment to creating a kinder, more inclusive world for people living with diabetes.
- Encourage your organisation to take the Pledge to show their support for all employees living with diabetes
- Learn about diabetes and how it’s managed.
- Be open and supportive if a colleague talks about their diabetes.
- Challenge your own and others assumptions and misconceptions.
- Encourage inclusive workplace policies. Check out your local diabetes organisations for more information. E.g., for Victorians.
- Take the quiz: how diabetes-friendly is your workplace?
-
Together, we can build workplaces where everyone can do their best work and feel they belong. Reducing diabetes stigma in the workplace will be a focus at next years Global Summit to End Diabetes Stigma.
The Global Summit is a world-first international gathering dedicated to collective and coordinated action to end diabetes stigma and discrimination. We welcome people living with diabetes, researchers, health professionals, diabetes organisations, and industry partners from around the word to join us. Together, we will share research, stories, and ideas to drive change in policy, healthcare, and society.
The Global Summit will be held on March 28–29, 2026, in Jaipur, India. Registrations are now open. You are also invited to submit a contribution: Storytelling, Scientific, Impact, or Perspectives. Contributions should be submitted by 11:59pm CET on November 30, 2025.
Learn more about diabetes stigma here.
Print This Post