A strategic necessity for small businesses

Small businesses across the UK are increasingly recognizing the value of promoting women’s health in their workplaces.

Imple­menting this initiative will bring numerous benefits, including increased produc­tivity and perfor­mance, reduced absen­teeism, increased employee satis­faction and engagement, attracting and retaining talented workers, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, and improving brand image while creating socially respon­sible businesses .

However, reality falls short of these ideals. Despite the obvious benefits, many women still face signif­icant health problems at work. A staggering 68% of women say they have encoun­tered health issues throughout their careers, and nearly 30% feel unsup­ported by their employers. This number rises to 36% and feel unsup­ported when it comes to women’s health issues such as periods, fertility, endometriosis and menopause. As a result, women’s economic status suffers: more than half take time off work, almost a quarter miss out on promo­tions, and as a result, one in five receives a lower salary. Worry­ingly, 83% of women report financial impact due to unmet health needs, leading many women to leave the workforce altogether. The Office for National Statistics estimates that 58.4% of the UK’s inactive population are women, highlighting the wider economic impact.

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

The Women’s Health Strategy for England

In 2022, the British government published the Women’s Health Strategy for England, acknowl­edging that despite women making up 51% of the population and living longer than men, they still face barriers to 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 of how women’s health impacts their work experience by normal­izing conver­sa­tions around taboo topics such as periods and menopause, ensuring women can remain productive and supported at work, and providing examples of good employer practice to highlight.

As part of the strategy, the Ministry of Health and Human Services has allocated funding to organi­za­tions working on these issues, including the Women’s Organi­zation.

The Women’s Organization: Advocating for Women’s Wellbeing in the Workplace

The Women’s Organi­zation, the UK’s largest provider of women-focused training, plays a vital role in addressing the unique challenges women face. Their Women’s Workplace Wellness Program offers a compre­hensive series of “packages” of tools, guides, support and infor­mation to help small businesses attract and retain female talent by fostering a supportive workplace culture that supports the health and well-being of puts women in the foreground.

These packages cover all aspects of women’s repro­ductive health, from periods to pregnancy and menopause, providing employers with practical guidance to support women through these challenges. Developed in collab­o­ration with medical, academic, legal and business experts, the program provides accurate, evidence-based infor­mation to support employers.

Practical steps for employers

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

• Flexible work arrange­ments: Offer flexible working hours and remote work options to help women balance work and health needs, especially during heavy and painful periods, pregnancy, postnatal periods and menopause.
• Wellness Programs: Implement wellness programs focused on physical, mental and emotional health, including fitness classes, mental health days, stress management workshops and access to nutri­tionists.
• Supportive Policies: Create policies to support menstrual health, maternity and paternity leave, menopause, and other gender-related 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 for managers and employees on the impor­tance of women’s health and supporting colleagues with health issues.

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

Addressing the communication gap

Small business owners often struggle to know what is needed to support women’s health in their workplace. Many avoid discussing repro­ductive health issues because they feel uncom­fortable, are afraid of saying the wrong thing, or seem insen­sitive. Likewise, women are often embar­rassed to discuss these topics with male employers or managers, and 65% feel uncom­fortable discussing their health at work. This reluc­tance leads to signif­icant emotional and profes­sional conse­quences: 90% of women feel emotionally strained, 46% feel helpless and 43% feel less motivated at work.

Advocacy Development Program

To address this gap, the women’s organi­zation created the Women’s Workplace Wellness Advocacy Devel­opment Program, which trains individuals to advocate for women’s health in their small businesses or organi­za­tions. These advocates act as first points of contact or “listening ears” for colleagues, facil­i­tating discus­sions and helping to implement appro­priate adjust­ments to support women’s health needs. The program was awarded the Open Awards Badge of Excel­lence, recog­nizing its quality and positive impact.

A strategic business imperative

Promoting women’s health in the workplace is not just a matter of social respon­si­bility, but a strategic business imper­ative. Anne-Marie Swift, director of the Women’s Workplace Wellness Project, comments: “When companies prior­itize the health and wellbeing of their female employees, they reap numerous benefits that have a positive impact on the entire company.” From improved produc­tivity and reduced absen­teeism to increased employee satis­faction and retention, the benefits are many and signif­icant,” and Professor Maggie O’Carroll, CEO of The Women’s Organi­zation, adds: “Women have specific health needs compared to their male counter­parts and despite women being more than make up half of the UK workforce, most SMEs are unaware of the level of support and flexi­bility required. The Women’s Workplace Wellness program is vital to driving positive change in SMEs in the UK. It helps break down taboos around women’s repro­ductive health, delivers better outcomes for women’s equality, and – essen­tially – improves organi­za­tional perfor­mance as a direct result.

Small businesses can access the Women’s Workplace Wellness Program here: Women’s Workplace Wellness – The women’s organi­zation.

Supporting women’s health isn’t just the right thing to do; It’s a smart business move that benefits everyone — women drive good business.