Almost two-thirds (62%) of men who have completed cancer treatment have had a positive experience of returning to work, research has found.
However the survey conducted by YoGov and commissioned by Unum with charity Maggie's found that more could be done to make sure the remaining third isn't falling through the net.
The survey suggested some men with cancer may miss out on the support available at work because they don't anticipate how their everyday needs and role in the workplace may change. As a result, they don't talk about this with their employer.
It also found that two in five men surveyed who have had cancer and returned to work after completing treatment (40%) could have underestimated the physical, mental and emotional effects of the condition, such as fatigue or memory loss, and the impact they may have at work.
More than a third who were employed at the time of diagnosis (36%) said they wanted to be treated exactly the same by their employer after their diagnosis.
Yet for those who returned to work, falling behind (26%) and not being able to handle the workload (26%) were amongst their biggest worries about returning to work.
Although many found working with or beyond cancer harder than they expected, one in five men we surveyed (21%) put off telling their HR department about their cancer diagnosis until they had to take sick leave or receive treatment and one in 10 (11%) didn't tell their HR department at all.
Only 59% of those surveyed said they would feel comfortable discussing the support they need at work with their employer.
However one in five (21%) said they didn't feel comfortable asking for time off for appointments related to their condition.
