Let's stop pretending we are all healthy. As many as 60% of workers with a disability or chronic condition hide their illness.

Let's stop pretending we are all healthy. As many as 60% of workers with a disability or chronic condition hide their illness.

From Leadership in the Age of AI by Adam Trojanczyk

September 27, 2025 · 33 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges faced by employees with disabilities or chronic conditions who feel compelled to hide their struggles at work and offers insights for leaders on creating a more inclusive environment.

In this episode, I will talk about something that may seem unpopular to you, especially when most people are talking about automation, efficiency, and artificial intelligence. I will discuss the millions of employees who hide their illnesses, disabilities, and struggles from their colleagues and bosses every day because revealing the truth about their challenges seems too risky for them. As many as 60% of employees with chronic illnesses never inform their employer about them, and the B-HERO-S study shows how dramatic the consequences can be—88% of people with hemophilia experienced negative reactions after disclosure. As a CEO who hid his own illness in business for years, I want to show how leaders can change this and create places where people are no longer afraid to be themselves. I will show you practical tools that don't cost a fortune and can save the careers and health (including mental health) of your team. You will learn what questions to ask and how to respond when someone finally opens up to you, and why flexibility at work is not a privilege but the basis of effective management. If you are an employee considering disclosing your illness, I will show you how to…

People in this episode

Host: Adam Trojanczyk

Topics covered

  • disability
  • chronic illness
  • workplace culture
  • leadership
  • employee well-being

Keywords

  • disability disclosure
  • chronic illness
  • workplace flexibility
  • leadership
  • employee health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: B-HERO-S

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