I still remember the first time I felt the weight of stigma at work. It was less than a week after I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I was leading a training session in a confectionery factory, ironically. During lunch, when I needed to inject insulin, I asked my colleagues if it was okay to do it in the room. Everyone nodded. But that evening, I got a call from my boss: “Next time, can you inject in the bathroom?”
That moment stayed with me—not because of the awkwardness, but because it showed how deeply misunderstood diabetes is in the workplace. Why is managing a life-threatening condition seen as an inconvenience?
Not alone, but isolated
At the recent International Diabetes Federation online open dialogue that I moderated, I realised just how common these experiences are. One advocate spoke about being denied a break to treat low blood glucose during her first day on the job. Another shared how, despite living with diabetes for over 40 years, she was still asked, “Why do you need attention?”—as though staying alive was somehow disruptive to office life.
Many of us shared stories of exclusion, not just from meetings or opportunities, but also from physical spaces due to a lack of basic accommodations, like wheelchair ramps or elevators. One participant couldn’t even access the stage at a conference where she was supposed to share her lived experience.
The message, whether intentional or not, was clear: “You’re welcome here—until your diabetes makes things inconvenient.”
The silence we carry
What struck me most in our conversation was how much of this bias stays hidden. People choose not to disclose their diabetes at work out of fear of being judged, excluded, or even losing their job.
Some participants were fired after diabetes-related complications made it difficult to keep rigid schedules. Others spoke of being passed over for permanent roles, with their condition quietly held against them.
What’s worse is that this silence often extends into our own communities. Some of us have experienced judgement not just from colleagues or managers, but from other people with diabetes. It’s a painful irony – being judged by the very people who should understand. One advocate with chronic hypoglycaemia shared how even other people with diabetes dismissed her needs, saying, “If I can manage it, so can you.”
We expect empathy from those who’ve walked in our shoes. But internal stigma, what happens within our own community, can hurt just as much, if not more.
In the face of these experiences, why do we still speak up? For me, it’s because silence protects the problem, not the person. Stigma thrives in secrecy.
Some of us choose to disclose our diabetes only after proving our ability at work. Others build relationships first, strategically choosing someone they trust, a “diabetes buddy”. One speaker even invites trusted colleagues to help administer injections to transform discomfort into shared understanding.
We need to normalise, not hide, diabetes management in the workplace. That starts with culture, not just policy. It starts with leadership, open dialogue and a willingness to learn.
Building safer workplaces
Some participants shared what they described as signs of hope. They are helping their companies develop policies that treat diabetes like any other medical condition, ensuring it’s included in health insurance, emergency planning and employee assistance programmes (EAPs). Others are working to embed diabetes into broader diversity and inclusion efforts.
And one powerful message stood out: the real shift happens when workplaces move beyond allowing diabetes care and begin to normalise it. It’s not about “special treatment”—it’s about basic dignity.
We need to create spaces where people can talk about their diabetes without fear of losing their job or their sense of belonging.
We’re all doing the best we can with the knowledge and resources we have. No one chooses to have diabetes. But together, we can choose to make our workplaces safer, more informed, and more human.
What’s your experience?
Have you faced diabetes exclusion at work—or seen positive change? What practical solutions would you add to the list? Let’s keep the dialogue going—because real change starts with honest conversation.
About Open Dialogues
Open Dialogues are a series of online Advocacy Academy sessions from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Designed as a space for exchange and learning, the series brings together IDF Members, Blue Circle Voices and Young Leaders in Diabetes. Participants have the opportunity to share experiences, explore pressing topics that affect the diabetes community and beyond, and strengthen their skills as advocates for change.
