World Cancer Day: Cancer workers feel alone and unsupported

More than seven in ten employees (71%) who have cancer feel they do not receive the support from their employers. Their HR teams are often unprepared or unequipped to assist, and as a result, 35% of them feel isolated and alone.

The research by GRiD (the industry body for group risk sectors) was published in advance of World Cancer Day tomorrow (4th February).

Seven out of ten employers (69%) are concerned about the financial impact that cancer may have on their organization. More than half of employers (54%) reported an increase in cancer-affected employees.

Over a quarter of the 500 employers surveyed (27%) were also concerned about the impact of working with serious illness, such as cancer, on their Baby-boomer employees (or those who were born between 1946 and 64).

The same percentage (23%) expressed concern about their Gen X employees (1965-1980), as well as 13% of their Millennial staff (1981-1996) and 11% of their Gen Z employees (post-1996).

18% of 1,250 workers surveyed also expressed concern over serious health problems, such as cancer. This was up from the 12% who reported the same in the previous year’s poll. GRiD reported that this number rose to 27% among those over 55 years old (also up from 19% in 2024).

World Cancer Day is fast approaching. Katharine Moxham from GRiD said that no matter how long an employee may have been worried or going through tests, receiving a cancer diagnosis can be a complete shock.

She added that employee cancer support should be flexible and comprehensive in order to support the individual and also their employer, who will act sensitively and make appropriate adjustments.

RedArc, a workplace nursing provider, has revealed that cancer is the most common condition it sees.

According to data collected over the last five years (inclusive of 2020-2024), RedArc has received 33% more cancer cases than the second most popular condition (mental health).

It said that in fact, the number of new mental health cases received by the organization was more than double what it was for cancer cases.