Eating disorders at work

The importance of a supportive workplace

With at least 1 in 50 people in the UK living with an eating disorder, you could be managing or working with someone who is affected. Having the right support in place at work can make a big difference to someone’s recovery or help them manage their caring responsibilities.  You can make a positive impact in your workplace to help those who may need it.

2 in 3 respondents to our survey said they would not feel comfortable talking about their eating disorder to a colleague

What can you do as a colleague?

Eating disorders can be hard to spot, and so you won’t always know if someone in your workplace has one. Those caring for someone with an eating disorder will often be under a lot of stress which could affect their work. They may also need time off to look after or attend appointments with their loved one.

People responding to our survey told us that they feared the reaction they might get if they spoke about their or their loved one’s eating disorder.  Eating disorders can also be very secretive and your colleague may feel they are being cornered or watched if you ask them directly about it.

If you are concerned that someone you are working with has an eating disorder, you could start a conversation with them about it. Our Worried about someone at work has tips about how to approach this conversation.

If you don’t feel able to talk to them you could speak to your manager or HR for advice and support, you don’t have to name the person you’re concerned about but they might be able to help you have that conversation.

2 in 3 respondents to our survey said they would not feel comfortable talking about their eating disorder to their line manager.

What can you do as an employer?

Employers can provide training so everyone in the workplace can learn about eating disorders, the challenges in the workplace and get to know how to spot the signs of an eating disorder. You can:

• create a workplace that encourages open communication so employees can come to you about more than work-related issues.
• offer resources that can be accessed freely and with privacy. This includes links to helplines – like Beat’s [link], counsellors and websites.
• raise awareness of eating disorders as part of your mental health strategy through training specifically designed to inform your team about eating disorders with practical steps you can take to support those in your organisation who may be struggling.

These steps could increase the likelihood of someone receiving early support and support their recovery. Or in the case of an employee who is supporting someone with an eating disorder – increased understanding of their situation and flexibility could help them manage work alongside their caring responsibilities.

We can help

We are currently creating a package for workplaces to purchase so they can learn about eating disorders and how to offer practical support whatever your role or level of seniority. This training package is perfect for introducing your team to eating disorders, how to spot the signs and how to support your colleagues whether they have an eating disorder themselves or are supporting a loved one.