Empowering Women’s Health in the Workplace: A Strategic Imperative for Small Businesses

Small businesses across the UK increasingly recognise the value of supporting women’s health in their workplaces.

Embracing this initiative yields numerous benefits, including increased productivity and performance, reduced absenteeism, enhanced employee satisfaction and engagement, attracting and retaining talented workforce, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, and enhancing brand image while creating socially responsible businesses.

However, the reality falls short of these ideals. Despite the apparent benefits, many women still face significant health-related challenges at work. A staggering 68% of women report having encountered health issues during their careers, with almost 30% feeling unsupported by their employers. This figure rises to 36% feeling unsupported in relation to women-specific health matters such as periods, fertility, endometriosis, and menopause. Consequently, women’s economic status suffers, with over half taking time off work, nearly a quarter missing out on promotions, and as a result one in five receiving lower pay. Alarmingly, 83% of women report financial repercussions due to unmet health needs, leading many to exit the workforce altogether. The Office for National Statistics estimates that 58.4% of the UK’s economically inactive population comprises women, highlighting the broader economic impact.

Ultimately, neglecting women’s health in the workplace costs the UK economy £20.2 billion annually.

The Women’s Health Strategy for England

In 2022, the UK Government published the Women’s Health Strategy for England, acknowledging that despite comprising 51% of the population and living longer than men, women still face obstacles in accessing necessary healthcare. This 10-year plan aims to significantly improve health outcomes for women and girls, with a particular focus on women’s health in the workplace. The strategy promotes understanding how women’s health affects their work experience, normalising conversations on taboo topics like periods and menopause, ensuring women can remain productive and supported at work, and highlighting examples of good employer practices.

As part of the strategy, the Department of Health and Social Care has allocated funds to organisations addressing these issues, including The Women’s Organisation.

The Women’s Organisation: Championing Women’s Workplace Wellness

The Women’s Organisation, the UK’s largest provider of women-focused training, is pivotal in tackling the unique challenges women face. Their Women’s Workplace Wellness programme offers a comprehensive range of “bundles” containing tools, guides, support, and information to help small businesses attract and retain female talent by fostering a supportive workplace culture that prioritises women’s health and well-being.

These bundles cover every aspect of women’s reproductive health, from periods to pregnancy to menopause, providing employers with practical guidance on supporting women through these challenges. Developed in collaboration with medical, academic, legal, and business experts, the programme offers accurate, evidence-based information to assist employers.

Practical Steps for Employers

Employers can take several practical steps to support women’s health in the workplace:

Flexible Work Arrangements: Offer flexible hours and remote work options to help women balance work with health needs, especially during heavy and painful periods, pregnancy, postnatal periods, and menopause.
Wellness Programmes: Implement wellness programmes focusing on physical, mental, and emotional health, including fitness classes, mental health days, stress management workshops, and access to nutritionists.
Supportive Policies: Establish policies that support menstrual health, maternity and paternity leave, menopause, and other gender-specific health issues. Create an environment where women feel comfortable discussing their health needs without stigma or fear of discrimination.
Training and Awareness: Conduct regular training sessions for managers and employees on the importance of women’s health and how to support colleagues experiencing health challenges.

Additionally, simple measures such as providing a safe and comfortable work environment with clean restrooms, lactation rooms, ergonomic furniture, access to period products, fresh air, and drinking water can make a significant difference.

Addressing the Communication Gap

Small business owners often struggle to know what is required to support women’s health in their workplaces. Many avoid discussing reproductive health issues due to discomfort, fear of saying the wrong thing, or appearing insensitive. Similarly, women often feel embarrassed discussing these matters with male employers or managers, with 65% uncomfortable talking about their health at work. This reticence leads to significant emotional and professional impacts, with 90% of women feeling emotionally strained, 46% feeling helpless, and 43% feeling less motivated at work.

Advocacy Development Programme

To bridge this gap, The Women’s Organisation has launched the Women’s Workplace Wellness Advocacy Development Programme, training individuals to become Advocates for Women’s Health in their small businesses or organisations. These Advocates serve as first points of contact or “listening ears” for colleagues, facilitating discussions and helping to implement reasonable adjustments to support women’s health needs. The programme has received the Open Awards’ Badge of Excellence, recognising its quality and positive impact.

A Strategic Business Imperative

Supporting women’s health in the workplace is not just a matter of social responsibility but a strategic business imperative. Women’s Workplace Wellness Project lead Anne-Marie Swift comments, “When businesses prioritise the health and well-being of their women employees, they experience numerous benefits that positively impact the entire organisation. From improved productivity and reduced absenteeism to enhanced employee satisfaction and retention, the advantages are multifaceted and substantial”, and Professor Maggie O’Carroll, CEO of The Women’s Organisation adds “Women have specific healthcare needs, compared to their male counterparts, and despite women making up over half of the workforce in the UK, most SMEs do not understand the scale of the support and flexibility required. The Women’s Workplace Wellness programme is vital in effecting positive change within SMEs in the UK, helping to break down taboos around women’s reproductive health, delivering better outcomes for women’s equality, and – fundamentally – improving business performance as a direct result.

Small businesses can access the Women’s Workplace Wellness Programme here: Women’s Workplace Wellness – The Women’s Organisation.

Supporting women’s health is not just the right thing to do; it’s a smart business move that benefits everyone – well women power good business.