New data from New Leaf Health suggests workplace health checks could be helping identify previously undetected health risks, with 28% of people screened advised to follow up with their GP.
Nearly one in four employees who took part in workplace health checks were advised to see their GP after screening identified results outside recommended health ranges, according to new data from workplace wellbeing provider New Leaf Health.
The organisation carried out 1,764 workplace health checks across UK workplaces between January and July 2026. Of those, 495 attendees – 28% – were advised to seek further advice from their GP.
The findings highlight the potential role employers can play in prevention by making it easier for employees to identify health risks that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Identifying the health risks people may not feel
The checks assessed blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels, comparing results against relevant NICE guidance.
These measures can provide an indication of health risks that may not produce noticeable symptoms in their early stages. According to New Leaf Health, the checks identified elevated readings that prompted practitioners to recommend further medical assessment.
The organisation says recommendations were made where results fell outside standard health targets, including blood pressure reaching 140/90 mmHg, total cholesterol above 6.0 mmol/L or fasting blood glucose above 7.0 mmol/L.
Andy Lee O’Neil, Director at New Leaf Health, said that elevated blood pressure and cholesterol can often have few early warning signs, making it important for people to understand their individual health measures.
“It’s extremely important to know your numbers and take control.”
A role for employers in prevention
The findings come as employers face increasing pressure to think more proactively about workforce health rather than focusing solely on supporting people once health problems emerge.
Workplace health checks cannot replace NHS diagnosis or treatment, and a screening result is not itself a diagnosis. However, providing employees with an accessible opportunity to check basic health measures can help prompt conversations with healthcare professionals where appropriate.
For employers, this raises an important question about how workplace health and wellbeing strategies can support prevention and early intervention alongside more traditional wellbeing initiatives.
Health checks can also provide an opportunity to have conversations about lifestyle factors such as physical activity, diet, sleep and smoking, where appropriate, while giving employees greater awareness of their own health.
Making prevention practical
New Leaf Health argues that workplace screening can help overcome one of the barriers to prevention: health can easily fall down the priority list when employees are busy.
Its workplace checks are designed to take around 10 minutes, potentially making it easier for employees to engage with basic health monitoring during the working day.
For employers considering introducing health checks, the wider lesson is that accessibility matters. Preventative support is unlikely to have an impact if employees cannot realistically find the time or do not understand why it is relevant to them.
It also needs to sit within a broader approach to workforce health. Screening can identify a potential issue, but employers need to consider what support, signposting and follow-up are available afterwards.
As O’Neil puts it, workplace health checks can help “break the cycle” of waiting until symptoms appear before taking action.
The data from New Leaf Health provides an interesting snapshot of what can be uncovered when employees are given an opportunity to check their health at work – and a reminder that prevention starts with making it easier for people to know when something needs attention.
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