05/09/2024

Long COVID at Work

A manager's guide to helping the afflicted

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Dara was a research engineer, thriving in a job that involved complex technical design and problem-solving. (Names in this article have been changed for privacy.) She was also an avid baker and a voracious reader. Then in March 2020, she got COVID-19. Even after the acute illness had passed, many symptoms remained: Dara struggled to sit up for more than half an hour, was too breathless and lightheaded to walk even short distances and had severe brain fog that left her unable to hold a conversation or write an email. She used all of her paid and unpaid leave to rest and try to recover. Eventually, she improved enough to return to work; but she knew her job needed to change.

Collaborating with her managers and the HR team, Dara found a set of accommodations that fit her needs. They gave her the option to work from home whenever she wanted — up to 100 percent of the time and at a reduced schedule. For days when she wanted to go in to the office, they secured a mobility scooter to help her get around the building. She also received additional unpaid leave to manage symptom flares. "I wouldn’t still have a job without [that] support," Dara said.

As her health has improved, she's been working with her managers and HR to resume her career growth. She was recently promoted to a role with more managerial responsibilities.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Harvard Business Review.