Improving employer support for those working with cancer: The Bevan report

The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) led a study on behalf of Working With Cancer to understand current employer practices in supporting employees living with cancer back to work, and to identify enablers and barriers to good practice. This comprised a survey of 204 HR Managers and four organisational case studies. You can download the detailed research report, standalone executive summary and case studies collection at the bottom of this page. 

Key findings

Results from the survey regarding current organisational policies and practices found that organisations are not doing enough to prepare for or support employees living with cancer (or other long-term health conditions) in their workforce. HR Managers reported that organisations tend to have generic policies that do not cater specifically for employees working with cancer. Instead, they focus on meeting employers’ legal obligations. Common policies include:

• Health and safety (91 per cent).
• Dignity at work/bullying and harassment (90 per cent).
• Flexible working (87 per cent).
• Absence management/return to work (83 per cent).
• Equality, diversity and inclusion (83 per cent).

Only 4 per cent of organisations currently have a specific cancer policy, whereas only 45 per cent of HR Managers felt they needed one. These results indicate an absence of a strategic approach to managing employees with cancer which could result in employees not being treated consistently. 

There was little understanding of how many employees may have or have previously experienced cancer. The survey found that only 18 per cent of HR Managers reported that their organisations collected data on this. A further 72 per cent do not collect data, and 10 per cent said they did not know. As such, employers may not have an effective plan for managing cancer in the workplace but take a reactive approach on a case-by-case basis. 

For further detailed report insights please download the research outputs.