The Hidden Toll of Diabetes in the Workplace: Global Survey Data

A new global survey reveals that more than 1 in 3 adults with diabetes say managing the condition increases their job-related stress, underscoring the need for better understanding and accommodation in professional settings. The findings, released as part of Insulet Corporation's new campaign “The Day Diabetes Showed Up to Work” for Diabetes Awareness Month, highlight persistent stigma, gaps in education, and actionable steps employers can take to build more inclusive workplaces.

Comissioned by Insulet and conducted across 11 countries and more than 10 professional sectors, the survey included responses from nearly 9,700 individuals with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes, caregivers, and those without diabetes.

Workplace Misunderstanding and Stigma Persist

“Nearly 590 million people worldwide live with diabetes1, and approximately 70% are of working age," Ashley McEvoy, Insulet president and CEO, said in a statement. "Yet too often their experience at work is shaped by misunderstanding, fear of disclosure, and a lack of meaningful support.”

• 42% of respondents with diabetes and caregivers reported feeling workplace-related anxiety tied to diabetes management.
• 79% said they have faced bias or misunderstanding in their professional environment.
• 21% conceal their condition from colleagues or managers
• 27% fear disclosure could limit career opportunities

Compounding the problem is widespread misinformation among colleagues without diabetes. More than half (57%) of respondents without diabetes said they're confident about supporting a colleague with the condition, but 21% of those with diabetes say the poor awareness they perceive among coworkers makes the working environment more diffiult. Six in ten (61%) without diabetes cannot confidently identify symptoms of type 1 diabetes, yet almost half could readily name popular culture figures such as Harry Potter characters or national football teams.

Creating Workplaces That Support Diabetes Management

The data suggest that most people with diabetes encounter practical or environmental barriers on the job. Eighty-six percent reported at least one such barrier—ranging from the lack of private spaces for glucose checks to insufficient flexibility for breaks or meal timing.

Insulet’s analysis points to several low-cost, high-impact steps employers could take to reduce physical and emotional discomfort:

• Provide private spaces for diabetes care activities.
• Offer flexible meal and break schedules.
• Ensure access to a range of food options in cafeterias or vending areas.
• Promote mindfulness or stress-reduction programs, which respondents said reduced anxiety, improved sleep, and boosted resilience.

“I wish more employers understood that diabetes may not be a visible chronic illness, but it affects many spheres of our lives, whether it’s in terms of our mental or physical health, or even our emotions,” Judy Mitri, a communications professional and Omnipod user in Canada, was quoted as saying in the statement. “A little empathy can go a long way.”

Why the Workplace Matters

These survey findings suggest that the workplace, its physical environment, social climate, and organizational practices, is not a peripheral concern but rather integral to comprehensive diabetes care.

For health care professionals, the results reinforce 2 important ideas:

1. When you speak with working adults with diabetes, ask specifically about their work environment—timing, meal breaks, supervision, stressors, disclosure comfort.
2. Consider collaborating with occupational health, employer wellness programmes or HR to support reasonable accommodations and work-friendly diabetes self-management.