Is HR doing enough to support employees who suffer from migraines?

Three charities have lambasted UK employers for failing to understand the crippling effects of migraines on a significant part of the UK workforce – BBC reports.

With one in seven people affected by migraines, research suggests more needs to be done to offer support to employees who battle this debilitating condition. One worker told the BBC that migraine pain “is like someone hitting my brain with an ice pick”.

In a Migraine Trust, Migraine Action and National Migraine Centre survey of more than 2,000 UK adults, 64% said they thought employers were not properly informed about the nature of migraines. One in five of those surveyed believe that not even healthcare professionals are fully aware of the impact of migraines on their patients.

Currently, nine million people in the UK are thought to suffer from migraines. Women are more likely to be affected than men. However, many employers are not aware of the condition’s effects. The same worker, who spoke to the BBC about migraine pain, explained that not all employers are sympathetic to the needs of migraine sufferers.