Educating Supervisors of Employees with Diabetes

Abstract

The worksite presents special challenges not only for employees with diabetes, but also for their supervisors. Supervisors wonder whether certain behaviors are willful misconduct or indicative of health problems, as well as if and how to accommodate employees with diabetes to meet the needs of the employees and the company, within the law. The purpose of this research was to pilot test an innovative educational program for supervisors of employees with diabetes to benefit employees' health and diabetes control while meeting the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Nine supervisors completed a 6-hour program that included innovative teaching strategies—“living the life” of a person with diabetes for 2 days and case studies to practice decision making according to the ADA. The program increased supervisors' reported self-efficacy for supervising employees with diabetes and should improve work life for employees with diabetes, ultimately decreasing employers' health care costs.