7 Reasons Forward-Thinking Employers Are Investing in Cancer Prevention

A Practical Guide for HR, Reward, and Wellbeing Leaders

Cancer now accounts for the largest share of long-term sickness absence in UK organisations - and it is also one of the biggest and fastest-growing drivers of PMI claims and premium inflation. With NHS waiting lists still under strain, delays to diagnosis and treatment are pushing more employees into private pathways, increasing both the frequency and severity of claims.

For employers and insurers alike, this creates a compounding challenge: later diagnoses lead to more complex treatment, longer absences, higher claims costs, and sustained upward pressure on PMI premiums year-on-year.

As organisations rethink how to manage healthcare spend more effectively, a clear shift is emerging. Cancer prevention and early detection are no longer simply wellbeing initiatives - they are strategic tools to help reduce avoidable PMI costs, control risk, and support a healthier, more resilient workforce.

That’s why forward-thinking employers are placing cancer prevention at the centre of their benefits strategy.

Here’s why.

1. Cancer is a Workforce Risk, Not Just a Health Risk

One in two people will develop cancer in their lifetime. But for employers, the critical factor isn’t the lifetime statistic - it’s the age profile of today’s workforce.

Employees in their 40s, 50s, and early 60s are working longer, often in senior or business-critical roles. This is also the age group where cancers like breast, bowel, prostate, lung, and skin are most common.

The impact?

• Higher rates of long-term absence
• Increased PMI claims and premiums
• Greater operational disruption
• More employees juggling caregiving responsibilities

Cancer is no longer an issue for ‘other organisations’, it affects every workforce. Prevention is the key to stopping it from becoming a business crisis.

2. Prevention Delivers a Tangible ROI

Unlike many corporate wellbeing initiatives, cancer prevention offers clear, quantifiable returns.
Using actuarial modelling, employers can estimate:

• Reduced absence costs from early-stage cancer detection
• Lower PMI claims and premiums
• Fewer critical illness and death-in-service payouts
• Operational savings from avoiding sudden, high-impact absences
• Productivity gains from faster recovery and reduced stress
• Lower presenteeism from employees worried about undiagnosed symptoms

In fact, cancer prevention is one of the few wellbeing investments where savings often exceed the initial cost - sometimes within the first year. Tools like Check4Cancer’s Cancer Impact Calculator© can help organisations model potential savings based on workforce demographics.

3. Early Detection Changes Outcomes - and Costs

Late-stage cancers are significantly more expensive for employers and insurers than early-stage diagnoses. They also lead to:

• Longer treatment pathways
• Extended absences
• Higher recurrence rates
• Greater emotional and operational disruption

Early-stage cancers, however, are often easier to detect with access to risk-based screening and expert guidance. Risk-stratified programmes ensure budgets are spent where they make the biggest impact, targeting employees who would benefit most from screening.

4. Employees Expect More Than Generic Wellbeing

Cancer is one area where generic wellbeing messaging falls short. Employees want:

• Clear, expert-led information
• Faster access to clinical guidance
• Practical support when symptoms arise
• Reassurance when they’re concerned

Workforces respond better to evidence-based, clinically robust programmes than to broad health and wellbeing initiatives.

A strong corporate cancer strategy includes:

• Personal risk assessments
• Clear pathways to screening
• Expert-led education on signs and symptoms
• Access to specialist advice
• A recall programme to ensure prevention isn’t a one-off event. This approach moves cancer support from a tick-box exercise to a genuinely impactful initiative.

5. NHS Backlogs Require Employer Support

Despite progress, NHS waiting times for cancer diagnostics, particularly imaging, endoscopy, and dermatology, remain significant. These delays lead to:

• Late diagnoses
• Prolonged anxiety for employees
• Greater reliance on private pathways at personal cost

Employers are stepping in to provide faster access to testing and diagnosis, not to replace the NHS, but to act as a safety net that prevents life-changing delays.

In many workplaces, private cancer screening is becoming what PMI was 15 years ago: a competitive advantage that’s quickly becoming an expectation.

6. Prevention Strengthens Your EVP

Cancer support is now a key driver of employee trust and psychological safety. It signals that an employer is:

• Proactive, not reactive
• Committed to long-term wellbeing
• Willing to invest in meaningful benefits

In a competitive talent market, cancer prevention is a powerful differentiator - especially for mid-career employees and those seeking employers who take health seriously.

7. It’s One of the Most Inclusive Benefits

Cancer risk affects all demographics. A well-designed prevention strategy reaches:

• Younger employees exploring family history
• Men who typically avoid healthcare
• Women in perimenopause, where symptoms may mask cancer signs
• Shift workers and frontline staff with limited GP access
• Employees without PMI
• Carers supporting loved ones with cancer

Few wellbeing initiatives support such a broad portion of the workforce.

Turning Insight into Action: What Employers Should Do Next

A strong strategy typically includes:

1. Personal Cancer Risk Assessments

Identifying employees who would benefit from screening, avoiding unnecessary tests and controlling costs.

2. Expert-Led Education

Webinars, workshops, and digital learning delivered by cancer specialists to expand awareness and reduce anxiety.

3. Clear Pathways to Screening

Fast, clinically governed access for higher-risk employees.

4. Regular Business Reporting

Insights into uptake, risk distribution, and health behaviour changes.

5. A Recall Programme

Ensures prevention is an ongoing initiative, not a one-off event.

This structure helps organisations forecast spend, track engagement, and measure outcomes effectively.

The Bottom Line

Cancer prevention isn’t just a wellbeing initiative - it’s a strategic business investment.

As employers evolve their benefits offering to meet the realities of today’s workforce, those prioritising cancer prevention will:

Reduce risk

Protect their people

Strengthen resilience

Manage rising PMI and absence costs

Support early diagnosis when it matters most

For HR and Reward leaders, the question is no longer ‘Should we invest in cancer prevention?

It’s ‘Can we afford not to?’