Breast cancer remains a significant health challenge, affecting 1 in 8 women over the course of their lives. Moreover, breast cancer has the highest treatment cost of any cancer, making early detection not only a health priority but also a financial imperative. As an HR benefits leader, you can influence the well-being of your employees by making cancer screenings more accessible and encouraging life-saving preventive care. Here are five strategies to help promote timely breast cancer screenings and empower your workforce to prioritize their health.

1. Place screening reminders in high-traffic areas

Gentle yet frequent reminders play a vital role in breast cancer awareness. Posting educational flyers in high-traffic areas like break rooms and restrooms and on bulletin boards ensures employees are consistently reminded of the importance of scheduling their screenings. This method raises awareness passively but regularly to keep preventative care top of mind.

2. Incorporate screening alerts into wellness programs

Wellness programs are a natural fit for encouraging preventive health measures. If your company uses a health portal or app, consider integrating personalized reminders that notify employees when their mammogram is due. These reminders can seamlessly fit into their regular interactions with your wellness program, ensuring screenings are viewed as a part of overall health maintenance and can further support breast cancer awareness.

3. Offer incentives for preventive health

Rewarding employees for completing preventive care screenings, such as mammograms, can create positive reinforcement. Incentives like gift cards, wellness points, or contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) motivate employees to take that critical step toward early detection. This strategy can reduce the barriers of inconvenience or procrastination by turning health checkups into an achievable goal with clear rewards.

4. Host a mobile mammogram event

Offering on-site health services can dramatically increase participation by eliminating logistical challenges. By partnering with local healthcare providers to host a mobile mammogram unit at your workplace, you make it easier for employees to access screenings during their workday and continue to promote breast cancer awareness. Promote this event using multiple communication channels — email, internal newsletters, and posters — so employees feel supported in prioritizing their health.

5. Offer Accolade’s personalized support

While the above strategies create a supportive environment, the real challenge lies in ensuring every employee can access the care they need. This is where Accolade steps in. Accolade’s Care Advocates provide personalized healthcare guidance, assisting employees through their health journey. They remind employees about screenings, help schedule appointments, and find nearby providers. This hands-on support ensures no one misses essential health screenings. With Accolade, employees can confidently manage their health, knowing they have expert support.

Contact Accolade today

By fostering a culture of health and wellness and making preventive screenings easily accessible, you are helping employees take a proactive approach to their health. Accolade plays a crucial role in supporting this mission. Contact us today to discover how we can help your employees stay on track with their breast cancer screenings and other preventive care needs.