Why it matters
Improved employee health and well-being
Detecting cancer or other illnesses in their early stages can significantly increase the chances of successful treatment and recovery, reducing the physical and emotional toll on the affected individuals.
Lower health care costs
By addressing health issues early on, it's possible to prevent more severe and costly medical interventions down the line. Currently, cancer is the top driver of large companies’ health care costs [1]. In most cases, the earlier the cancer is caught, the less expensive it will be to treat.
Better productivity
Healthy employees also tend to be more productive and take fewer sick days, benefiting a company's bottom line. A systematic review of published studies of worksite health programs showed that well-implemented workplace health programs can lead to 25% savings each on absenteeism, health care costs, and workers’ compensation and disability management claims costs.
Better workplace culture
The cost of replacing an individual employee can range from one-half to two times the employee's annual salary [5]. Supporting preventive care can enhance employee morale and job satisfaction. It sends a clear message that the employer values the health and welfare of their workforce, fostering a positive work environment. In turn, this can help with employee retention and recruitment, as individuals are more likely to stay with or join a company that prioritizes their well-being.
The bottom line is: failure to detect cancer early is costly for everyone involved.
So, what can you do as an employer to help?
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Host a convenient, accessible on-site vaccine clinic with CVS - Learn How
Norton Prevention & Wellness Mobile Prevention Center - This mobile unit can offer mammograms and other wellness exams. Learn more here about requesting an event.
The St. Elizabeth Mobile Mammography Unit in Northern Kentucky offers digital mammography screening and tomosynthesis (3D mammograms) in a private, comfortable setting. Local businesses can schedule to bring the unit to their worksite by calling here: (859) 301-2031.
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There are many ways employers can incentivize employees to get preventive care and adopt healthy habits. Some examples include:
Offering cash-incentive payments and gift cards
Reimbursing workers for gym memberships
Providing free health coaching
What employers need to know: 10 steps for developing outcomes-based incentives for wellness programs
Bring the care to them and/or offer incentives.
Make sure your employees aren’t penalized for taking time off to get cancer screenings and preventive care.
Employees without access to paid time off for health care are less likely to obtain recommended screening tests. Taking it a step further and including anti-retaliation policies can also help workers feel more comfortable.
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Instead of having separate policies for vacation, sick, and other types of leave, some employers offer a single PTO policy under which employees can use accrued time off for any purpose. This can give employees more flexibility in how to use their time off, therefore allowing them to use it for any preventive health care they desire.
However, some employees may be reluctant to take PTO when they’re sick or if they want to get preventive care. The rationale here is that it feels like they’re being forced to lose vacation time when they take a day off for an illness or preventive care—even though PTO is meant to cover both.
Consider the pros and cons of both with your workers in mind to make the best decision.
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Find ways to be flexible with your employees. Instead of taking PTO, some may prefer to make up the lost works hours by starting early the next few days. Or simply just give them the time they need to receive the preventive care without asking them to make up the time on the clock. Many people are able to find efficient ways to still get their work done during regular work hours.
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No matter what time-off policy you choose, it’s important employees feel comfortable taking their allocated time. Anti-retaliation policies can help with this. Retaliation can come in many different forms and can be from managers or fellow employees. Examples of this include reassigning clients, changing of schedules, bullying, and demotions. No employee should ever feel in-danger of being punished for taking their time off- whether it be for vacation, sick days, or to get health care.
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The American Cancer Society has a map that helps people find the nearest location offering certain cancer screenings.
Kentucky CancerLink has several resources available to connect people with colon, breast, and ovarian cancer screenings. The organization also has a program that provides fuel cards to help people travel to cancer-related appointments or to cancer screenings.
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These toolkits by the American Cancer Society include turnkey messages to empower employees to take an active role in cancer prevention and early detection, including:
Ideas for awareness and action
Suite of communications messaging
Educational materials and videos
Resources for people with cancer
Employee engagement opportunities
Breast Cancer Awareness Employer Toolkit
Prostrate Cancer Awareness Employer Toolkit
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Your insurance should provide you with a summary of benefits document that you should share with your employees annually. If your insurance provider is Anthem, this site has copies of those documents.
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Download flyers here to educate your employees about cancer screenings and preventative care.
They can be posted around your office or jobsite.
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These graphics can be used on any private or public social media pages! Download them here.
Educate your employees about the benefits and what’s available.
Make sure your employees know how important it is they get cancer screenings and preventive care. There are a lot of programs with the goal of making this easier for people. Some even offer the care for free for the uninsured or underinsured. A simple company wide email with a few links can help workers find what’s going on near them.
The CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard Manual
The CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard is a tool designed to help employers evaluate how well their workplace health programs are doing.
The scorecard helps guide employers to:
Create healthier workplaces.
Identify evidence-based strategies to lower the risk of chronic diseases in workers.
Create supportive work environments.
The scorecard has 154 questions for employers. These questions assess how well a workplace implements evidence-based health promotion strategies.
These strategies include:
Lifestyle counseling services.
Environmental supports.
Health policies.
Health plan benefits.
Other worksite programs.
Case studies and real world examples of the methods detailed above.
Is your company small enough that you don’t offer insurance? Make sure your employees know what some of their other options may be. This website houses resources that can connect people with coverage.
Get your Canopy Certification!
Canopy recognizes the changing landscape in business; employees want purpose, consumers are paying attention to who they buy from, healthy communities are good for business, and a healthy environment is good for business. Canopy's mission is to grow Kentucky businesses to positively impact people, our planet, and our future. Through education, certification, and connection, they help Kentucky businesses participate and succeed within the Good Business movement. They're making Kentucky first in Good Business!
Take the pledge!
At [X Company] we recognize the importance of early detection and preventive measures in promoting employee wellness and reducing the impact of serious illnesses like cancer. As [X title], I pledge to prioritize the health and well-being of our employees by implementing policies that improve our employees’ access to cancer screenings and preventive care.
How to help employees with cancer
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Kentucky CancerLink can provide free bras, protheses and camisoles to women who have undergone a lumpectomy/mastectomy. As inventory allows, we also offer free upper extremity lymphedema compression garments. The organization can also help patients to other local and national resources.
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Some managers and coworkers may be concerned about a person’s ability to work during or after cancer treatment. It’s important to set expectations and manage any discriminatory behavior.
People who continue to work with cancer can be just as productive as other workers. Your employee’s right to equal employment opportunities may be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. external link, which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations that aren’t an undue hardship.
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Sources:
https://www.businessgrouphealth.org/newsroom/news-and-press-releases/press-releases/2023-lehcspds
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/kentucky/ky.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/cancer_mortality/cancer.htm
https://www.kycancerc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/08/KCC%20Action%20Plan%202019_revised_July26_2019.pdf
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/247391/fixable-problem-costs-businesses-trillion.aspx
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-reasons-preventative-healthcare-important-employers-novir/
https://extension.harvard.edu/blog/6-management-tips-for-supporting-employee-wellbeing-at-work/
https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/paid-sick-leave-vs-vacation-vs-pto-what-you-need-to-know