New research from The Migraine Trust has found that six out of 10 (60%) of people who don't suffer from migraines said that if they were managing a team, they would feel concerned about hiring a qualified candidate who disclosed having the condition.
An estimated £9bn of output is lost from migraine absenteeism and presenteeism per year in the UK, yet many people who suffer from migraine are not receiving the support they need from their employer. In fact according to the survey, fewer than one in five employees (19%) would be comfortable talking to HR about the issue.
Almost a quarter of those surveyed said they had either left or considered leaving a role because the employer was unsupportive about migraine. The research also highlights a concerning lack of understanding of the condition among people who don't live with migraine, with over half believing it was just 'a bad headache' and two-thirds (66%) thinking migraine is caused by 'stress or anxiety'.
The research, based on two surveys – one of 2,141 people with migraine and one of 2,000 working age adults without migraine – reveals a troubling gap in the reality of life with migraine and the perception of the condition from those who do not experience it.
Other key findings include:
A striking 58% of people with migraine had avoided disclosing their condition to employers or colleagues, often due to fear of not being taken seriously.
The majority (90%) of those with migraine had worked while experiencing migraine symptoms, with many using annual or unpaid leave to avoid taking sick days. Reasons given included fear of being faced with disciplinary action (23%), feeling guilty about taking sick leave (59%) and fear of losing their job entirely (24%).
Nearly two thirds (65%) of people with migraine felt that others often don't believe them when they report their symptoms, while nearly three-quarters (77%) said they felt people don't take migraine seriously or joke about the condition.
This concern was confirmed by the responses from those without migraine which reveal a widespread lack of understanding about the condition in the workplace, including perceptions of 'laziness' and using migraine as an excuse to avoid work.
One in four of those with migraine said they had either left or considered leaving a role because the employer was unsupportive. Respondents cited changes to working practices that could have been made by employers (such as flexible working or working from home) to allow them to stay in their role which were not given. One respondent had their request for a reasonable adjustment denied and was dismissed from their role.
Only 17% of people with migraine said that they had requested reasonable adjustments and had them accepted by their employer, with many saying they did not realise this was something they could even request.
The Migraine Trust is releasing the new research for Migraine Awareness Week which runs from 22-28 September. It is also calling on employers to sign their workplace pledge workplace pledge, as a first step to ensuring people with migraine are supported at work and to demonstrate that they understand the impact migraine can have on working life.
"This research paints a stark picture of the gap between the general perception of what migraine is, and the daily reality for those living with it," said Rob Music, Chief Executive of The Migraine Trust. "In the workplace context, prevailing misconceptions of migraine can have disastrous consequences, ranging from employers falling afoul of disability discrimination legislation to the risk of losing talented staff who could otherwise thrive with the appropriate support. However, even small changes by employers can make a huge difference in the working lives of their staff with migraine."
