IHS-GPAC is excited to announce Migraine Fitness at Work is finally here and open to everyone. Read on to learn more about the program that is changing the way migraine is managed in the workplace.
Migraine is the third most common disease in the world. It can disrupt the daily lives of those who live with it, including in the workplace. Migraine is the second leading cause of disability in the world and is associated with huge productivity loss in the workplace, which affects everyone. IHS-GPAC’s Migraine Fitness at Work (MFAW) program helps increase understanding of migraine, break down stigma, improve work relationships, and optimize migraine diagnosis and management.
Migraine and Its Impact on the Workplace
Though migraine affects more than one billion people globally, there is stigma surrounding the disease and a lack of resources and care. As a result, many people who live with migraine never receive or even seek treatment.
Migraine is the leading cause of days lost due to disability for people under the age of 50. This also includes absenteeism, which is habitual and frequent absence from work. In the United States, for example, up to 100 million work days are lost due to migraine. Migraine also affects employees’ presenteeism, or when the employee is present at the workplace but cannot work productively. This is because symptoms and migraine attacks can be debilitating, preventing employees from completing tasks.
There is also the unfortunate stigma attached to migraine, which prevents people from seeking help. Employees may worry that their colleagues and employers will disregard their condition or that it’ll negatively affect their career prospects. Because of this, employees with migraine will often push through their symptoms. This can lower morale and increase tension between team members.
What is MFAW?
Migraine Fitness at Work is a video-based educational program designed by world-renowned migraine experts and patient advocates. The program is customizable to each company to effectively educate employers and employees about the debilitating effects of migraine.
By understanding the impact of migraine in the workplace, employers can create a supportive environment. MFAW provides the resources to educate employees about migraine and can transform workplaces for the better.
In addition to educational videos, MFAW also contains pre- and post-module quizzes that help to retain information that is learned in the modules. Helpful guides and printable PDFs are also included. These guides provide employees with resources they can use after they’ve completed the program. Together, these educational materials are designed to make life better for those living with migraine in the workplace and beyond.
By integrating MFAW into the workplace, employers will be able to see a positive return on investment through increased productivity. The program will provide employees resources to better understand what triggers their migraine attacks and how they can manage their symptoms. Educating team members will also reduce stigma around the disease and boost morale, making the workplace more productive.
MFAW Program Objectives
The end goal of MFAW is to ensure that employers can provide employees the support and resources they need for their conditions. Additionally, MFAW aims to spread awareness of the detriments of migraine and the impact it has on the workplace.
The objectives of MFAW are:
- Enable managers, major employer groups and employees to work together to reduce the burden of migraine in the workplace.
- Provide resources and education to empower self-management and present treatment options that can be discussed with healthcare providers.
- Improve migraine-related quality of life and well-being for employees.
- Increase productivity and reduce absenteeism and presenteeism in the workplace.
Fujitsu’s Headache Program
Fujitsu, a leading information and communication technology company based in Tokyo, conducted a research study on migraine. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of migraine in the workplace. According to the results, Fujitsu had an annual loss of about $2,300 per person due to migraine-related sick leave and decreased performance.
This is where the award-winning “FUJITSU Headache Project” came in. Developed with IHS-GPAC, the “FUJITSU Headache Project” provided web-based courses that educated 73,000 of Fujitsu’s Japan-based employees so far on the severity of migraine, headache disorders and how neurological diseases can affect the workplace. The program proved to be a huge success:
- 71% of employees understood that headache is a debilitating disease that interferes with one’s daily life—an increase of about 20% before completing the program.
- 76% of employees said that “the way they treat colleagues with headaches is likely to change” after completing the program.
- 90% of employees found the program beneficial.
These results concluded that education programs on migraine were the key to helping employees who suffer from the disease.
MFAW is changing the status quo when it comes to migraine management in the workplace. Schedule a demo with the IHS-GPAC team to learn more about how MFAW can create a migraine-friendly workplace.
Want to help your employees manage migraine? Sign up and learn more about IHS-GPAC’s MFAW program.
