‘Know Your Numbers Week’ is a prime opportunity for employers to champion preventative health checks for employees.
The blood pressure awareness week (8-14 September) highlights the importance of health screening to identify risks as early as possible and help mitigate the risks of ‘optimism bias’.
Health and wellbeing provider Vitality said employers have a critical role as key enablers of this shift by promoting and signposting access to benefits such as clinician-led screenings. HR and benefits leaders can help employees gain a clearer understanding of their health, detect underlying risks at an earlier stage, and take practical steps to improve outcomes.
The Vitality Health Claims Insights Report 2024 found that its members are around four times more likely to be flagged with an at-risk reading for hypertension, cholesterol, or blood glucose levels during clinician-led health checks than through self-reported data.
Arun Thiyagarajan, CEO Vitality Health, said: “Prevention is one of the most powerful tools we have in improving long-term health outcomes. By helping members to understand their health better and identify risks early—whether it’s high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, or cancer markers—we can help them take action earlier and help deliver better health outcomes. Crucially employers are in a unique position to champion this approach.
“By signposting to benefits and services that include access to health checks and screening pathways, employers can not only realise usage and value from their employee benefits programme, but also support healthier, longer lives. It’s about shifting the conversation from reactive care to proactive wellbeing.”
