TEDx Editor’s Pick spotlights UNC Charlotte professor’s research on chronic health conditions at work

A TEDx talk by UNC Charlotte’s Alyssa McGonagle is gaining national attention after being selected as a TEDx Editor’s Pick. 

McGonagle, professor of psychological and organizational science in UNC Charlotte’s College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, delivered her talk “Creating supportive workplaces for chronic conditions” at TEDx UNC Charlotte on Feb. 21. 

TEDx recognized the presentation as an Editor’s Pick when the talk was released on Friday, just ahead of the Labor Day weekend, and highlighted the talk for its timely message about workplace well-being.

Drawing on both her personal experience living with a chronic illness and years of research on employee health and well-being, McGonagle argues that organizations have an opportunity and responsibility to better support the growing number of employees living with chronic health conditions. 

“Three quarters of American adults have one or more ongoing health conditions, and 76% of affected employees need to manage their conditions during work hours,” McGonagle said during the talk. “Organizations still have a long way to go in terms of supporting their employees with chronic health conditions.”

The TEDx presentation builds on themes explored in McGonagle’s 2025 book, “Chronic Health Conditions and Work: Proactive Strategies for Supporting Employees and Doing Well by Doing Good.”

In both her scholarship and her public-facing work, she examines how employers can create more supportive workplaces while improving employee well-being, engagement and retention. 

McGonagle began the TEDx talk by recounting her own diagnosis with multiple sclerosis while she was a graduate student and the uncertainty she felt about her future employability and the ability to support herself. 

“I was working so hard to build a career I longed for,” McGonagle said. “The thought of losing my ability to work and take care of myself financially was devastating.”

McGonagle notes that while many organizations have made progress in supporting employees from diverse backgrounds, workers who manage chronic physical and mental health conditions continue to face significant challenges. Because many conditions are invisible to others, employees often struggle with whether to disclose their diagnoses at work.

“There are several downsides to concealing an illness or another invisible identity,” McGonagle said. “Research shows this leaves people with feelings of preoccupation, stress and inauthenticity, and also can lead to diminished interpersonal relationships at work.”

Her research has found that many employees with chronic health conditions feel caught between the demands of their jobs and the need to manage their health.

“In a series of research studies, my co-authors and I found that workers with chronic health conditions often perceive that work interferes with the time and energy that they need to manage their health conditions.” she said.

Rather than relying exclusively on wellness programs or accommodations after problems arise, McGonagle asserts that organizations should adopt proactive approaches that address workplace systems, leadership and culture. 

She recommends that the highest priority for supporting workers with chronic health conditions would be to create systemic organizational support. “These are changes to policies, benefits, leadership and culture that can positively benefit all employees in the organization,” she said.

Throughout the talk, McGonagle offers practical guidance for leaders, including responding empathetically to employees who disclose health challenges, building trust through ongoing communication and reducing stigma by modeling behaviors that support well-being. 

She concludes with a message that reflects both her research and personal experience. 

“People deserve the chance to work while managing serious health issues,” McGonagle said. “Supporting employees is not only beneficial to the bottom line, it is the right thing to do.”

The TEDx Editor’s Pick designation has helped introduce McGonagle’s work to a broader audience, with the talk attracting tens of thousands of views in just a few days. The response underscores growing interest in how organizations can better support employee health while creating more inclusive and sustainable workplaces.

Watch “Why do people hide chronic illness at work?”

Written by Jenn Conway