Providing them with regular updates, where appropriate, can help to maintain morale and increase the levels of trust within the team.
Offering team members with information on how they can best support their colleague post-diagnosis can help them to feel more confident when broaching what may feel like very sensitive and tricky subjects.
It will also ensure that the whole teams feel included and aware of the support that would be on offer should they ever need it.
This two-pronged approach to supporting colleagues affected by cancer is key to ensuring that a business retains its key people and that they all feel that there is an open culture which enables them to do their best work.
Mark Allan is commercial director at Bupa UK