Just 4% of employee respondents say that their employer has run a health initiative relating to cancer, according to research by Bupa to highlight World Cancer Day on 4 February.
However, its study of 4,000 UK employees and 1,000 UK employers of higher managerial level, as well as 12,800 staff and 862 employers in Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Poland, also found that more than a third (38%) of employer respondents said that preventing cancer among employees is a priority for their organisation.
The research also found:
- More than a quarter (28%) of employee respondents would like their employer to provide more guidance or information about exercise.
- 14% of employee respondents have said they had taken action on their lifestyle because of a health campaign run by their employer.
- 11% of employee respondents said their employer had run a smoking cessation programme.
- 13% of staff said their employer had run an initiative around exercise.
- 16% of employee respondents would also like guidance or information from their employer about cancer, and 13% would like guidance or information about stopping smoking.
Dr Fiona Adshead, director of wellbeing and public health at Bupa, said: “With over half the world’s population in work, there is enormous potential for supporting more people to adopt healthier lifestyles and reduce their risk of chronic disease by engaging them in their place of work.
“What is more, smart employers know that healthier employees come to work, perform at their best and go the extra mile. Employers have a crucial role to play in reducing cancer.”