Cancer is costing UK business around £1.6bn a year, according got a new report which looks at the impact rising cases are having on both employees and the employer.
The report by Reframe Cancer found that the average employee will be absent from work for 15 weeks as a result of their condition. It says that as well as time taken off work during treatment, many employees will also be absent from the workplace before a formal diagnosis is made, with the report details the average amount of time spent out of the workplace.
- Pre-diagnosis worries & symptoms: 12 days off
- Diagnosis & testing: 16 days off
- Treatment: 24 days off
- Recovery: 23 days off
Just over 160,000 people of working age receiving a cancer diagnosis each year, which on an average employee salary of £34,963 means a potential £1.6bn cost to UK businesses.
The research also highlighted how the employee benefits offered by many workplace may not be meeting the needs of those diagnosed with cancer.
More than three quarters (77 per cent) of employees with cancer said they did not think the benefits offered met their needs, with those on higher or lower salaries more likely to be dissatisfied than those on median salaries. The report found almost seven in 10 (68 per cent) of those who earn more than £5,000 per month, say they do not believe their employee benefits meet all their cancer needs. Meanwhile 90 per cent of those that earn under £1,500 a month said the same.
The report also found that more than one in two employees (55 per cent) only tell their employer after their cancer diagnosis has been confirmed, meaning most employees will take 28 days off work before they let their HR team or employer know.
A further 11 per cent wait until they’re undergoing treatment or when their treatment has finished, meaning many could take up to 52 days off work before telling their employer. In addition 18 per cent tell them whilst undergoing tests. The research also reveals that almost half (48 per cent) say they feel pressured to keep working during their cancer journey.
An additional consideration for employers is that there are also currently around 700,0003 people in work who are caring for someone with cancer, these people will also be taking time off to support them and will further impact absence.
Whilst many employees feel their employee benefits fall short in some way the findings also show a level of inequality in the provision of private healthcare. The NHS is the primary source of cancer care for 92 per cent of employees in total, with 62 per cent of respondents stating they receive treatment exclusively through the NHS whilst 30 per cent of employees receive a combination of both NHS and private care. Only 6 per cent of employees receive treatment exclusively through private healthcare.
The findings highlight however that there is a strong gender divide in the provision of private cancer care treatment. Only 29 per cent of female employees receive private medical treatment compared to over 7 in 10 (71 per cent) male employees. This male bias is further evident when considering access to both private and NHS options, with 70 per cent again being male.
The research also shows a correlation between seniority and access to private healthcare. Just 6 per cent of employees in junior positions said they accessed private healthcare for their cancer care. This compares to 64 per cent of C-suite executives who said they accessed private health services during their cancer journey, followed by senior management level (52 per cent), middle management (30 per cent) and supervisors (29 per cent) who said the same.
Against this backdrop, many employees also say they feel unsupported and isolated at work. More than 4 in 10 (45 per cent) employees with cancer believe their colleagues consider them a burden during their cancer journey and 35 per cent don’t feel they can openly talk to their colleagues about their diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, 35 per cent of employees say they feel isolated at work during their cancer experience. With the research indicating that employees who feel this way take more time off work during their diagnosis, treatment, and recovery (4.7 weeks) than the average of 4.3 weeks.
Reframe Cancer CEO Mark Stephenson says: “Our extensive research has highlighted that things are much worse for employees working with cancer than we feared.
“They are taking 15 weeks off work on average, many will also take more than this, whilst 92 per cent are also reliant on the NHS, and there is virtually no support being put in place for almost all these people.
“Of further concern is the gender inequality we are seeing in the provision of private healthcare, with 71 per cent of men getting PMI support, compared to just 29 per cent of females. As well as this there is an additional trend emerging whereby lower earners are the most dissatisfied with their employee benefits for cancer. The grade of an employee should not have an impact on the support they receive when dealing with cancer.
“Sadly the research also shows that stigmatisation of cancer is very real, and many employees feel as though they have to hide their cancer diagnosis, concerns and even symptoms, in 2024 this feels so wrong. This needs to be a massive wake up call to employers, brokers and insurers about the importance of cancer support in the workplace.
“There are an estimated 890,0004 of working age that are currently living with cancer who will need ongoing support, and our expert cancer nurses can help employees navigate through the NHS, or private route, much quicker, whilst helping employees to keep working, and at the same time feel so much more supported. We praise the few employers and insurers who are leading the way on this cancer support in the workplace.”
Brian Walters, managing director of specialist PMI broker Regency Health, said: “This research underlines the important role private medical insurance can play. It can help relieve some of the pressure on the NHS and is becoming an increasingly sought after benefit. It is concerning that some employees feel under supported in their cancer journey, and its important advisers understand the importance of comprehensive cancer cover to an employee-benefits package.”