As thousands of high rise office dwellers lead an exodus out of Brisbane's city heart before Christmas, experts are warning them not to overdo it in the sun to make up for lost time.

After spending much of the year cooped up inside, office workers are more at risk of getting sunburnt and developing skin cancer.

Researchers say they are finding more incidences of melanoma in people working inside office buildings than outdoors.

Some 5000 Suncorp staff have been invited to take part in a skin cancer study with the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) to find out more about the attitudes and behaviours of office workers towards skin cancer prevention.

The study is collecting information from office workers on solarium use, skin check-ups, skin cancer treatment, sun exposure and vitamin D intake.

Suncorp Group Executive Banking David Foster said office workers should resist the temptation to go out and spend excessive amounts of time in the sun "catching up" on lost time.

"After spending much of their working days indoors, some office workers feel they have to get out and achieve a 'healthy holiday glow'. Or they forget to cover up because it hasn't been a regular part of their daily routine," Mr Foster said.

"We need to get past this idea of linking a 'tan' with a good holiday and good health. We need to get the message out that 'white is alright' and that applying sunscreen should be as automatic as brushing your teeth.

"This week we issued a reminder to our staff, as they prepare to embark on their Christmas break, about the importance of avoiding the sun during the hottest parts of the day and to cover up."

Queensland Institute of Medical Research scientist Dr Rachel Neale said researchers were finding more incidences of melanoma in office workers than outdoor workers.

"This could be due to outdoor workers being more aware of protective measures such as sunscreen and protective head and eye wear," she said.

"We hope the QIMR - Suncorp study will help contribute to a better understanding of office worker's attitudes and behaviours towards skin cancer prevention, so that we can develop more targeted approaches to reducing skin cancer.

"Despite repeated warnings and major public awareness campaigns to reduce the incidence of skin cancer Queensland remains the skin cancer capital of the world. This has got to change."

Media contact:Kathryn Stevens, Sequel Communications ph: 3251 8145 or 0403 090 912.