To mark World Heart Rhythm Week (1st–7th June 2026), health and safety specialists Direct365 are highlighting a critical confidence gap in the UK workforce. While investment in life-saving hardware is rising, employee readiness remains dangerously low.
Research surveying 2,000 UK workers found that 44% of workplaces now have a defibrillator (AED) installed. However, only 14% of employees would feel confident using one. Furthermore, 54% of staff admit they would not know how to respond at all if a colleague suffered a cardiac arrest.
The data also reveals a lack of training and awareness:
- 53% of respondents have never received AED training
- Only 8% of workers are within a critical 3-minute walk of a public defibrillator
- 55% of people are unaware of where the nearest public AED to their workplace is located
Karl Bantleman at Direct365 commented: “It is apparent from our research that more must be done in terms of educating employees. While it is important to invest in a defibrillator for your workplace, you must also ensure that all staff are provided with CPR and AED training. Our study shows that 24% of workers don’t even know if their organisation has a defibrillator. Visibility and confidence are just as important as the equipment itself.”
To help bridge this gap, Direct365 has identified that 35% of the current UK Top 40 singles, including hits by Michael Jackson and Harry Styles have the perfect 100-120 BPM tempo for CPR, offering a simple tool for workers to maintain the correct rhythm during chest compressions.
Top charting songs to perform CPR to:
- Billie Jean, Michael Jackson – 117 BPM
- Dracula, Tame Impala – 115 BPM
- Go, The Chemical Brothers – 120 BPM
- Fever Dream, Alex Warren – 108 BPM
- Homewrecker, Sombr – 100 BPM
- American Girls, Harry Styles – 101 BPM
- Man I Need, Olivia Dean – 119 BPM
- Choosin’ Texas – 112 BPM
- Hit the Wall, Gracie Abrams – 120 BPM
- Material Lover, Sienna Spiro – 109 BPM
Direct365 is urging business owners to use World Heart Rhythm Week to audit their safety equipment and ensure staff are “rescue ready.”
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