A strategic imperative for small businesses

Small businesses in the UK are increasingly recognizing the value of supporting women’s health in their workplace.

Embracing this initiative will deliver numerous benefits, including increased productivity and performance, reduced absenteeism, increased employee satisfaction and engagement, attracting and retaining a talented workforce, promoting a diverse and inclusive environment, improving brand image and creating socially responsible companies.

However, reality does not meet these ideals. Despite the clear benefits, many women still face significant health challenges at work. As many as 68% of women report having experienced health problems during their careers, with almost 30% feeling unsupported by their employers. This figure rises to 36% who do not feel supported regarding women-specific health issues such as menstruation, fertility, endometriosis and menopause. As a result, women’s economic status is declining: more than half are taking leave, almost a quarter are missing out on promotion, and as a result, one in five is receiving lower wages. Alarmingly, 83% of women report financial impacts due to unmet health needs, causing many to leave the workforce altogether. The Office for National Statistics estimates that women make up 58.4% of Britain’s economically inactive population, highlighting the wider economic impact.

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

The Women’s Health Strategy for England

In 2022, the UK government published the Women’s Health Strategy for England, which recognized 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, normalizes conversations about taboo topics such as menstruation and the menopause, ensures women can remain productive and supported at work, and highlights examples of good employer practice.

As part of the strategy, the Department of Health and Social Care has allocated funding to organizations tackling these issues, including The Women’s Organisation.

The Women’s Organization: championing workplace well-being for women

The Women’s Organisation, the UK’s largest provider of female-focused training, plays a vital role in tackling the unique challenges women face. Their Women’s Workplace Wellness program offers a comprehensive range of ‘bundles’ of tools, guides, support and information to help small businesses attract and retain female talent by fostering a supportive workplace culture that prioritizes health and the well-being of women.

These bundles cover every aspect of women’s reproductive health, from menstruation 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 program provides 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 their work and health needs, especially during heavy and painful periods, pregnancy, postnatal periods and menopause.
• Wellness programs: Implement wellness programs that focus on physical, mental and emotional health, including fitness classes, mental health days, stress management workshops and access to nutritionists.
• Supportive policies: Adopt 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: Organize regular training sessions for managers and employees on the importance of women’s health and how to support colleagues struggling with health issues.

In addition, simple measures such as providing a safe and comfortable working environment with clean toilets, lactation rooms, ergonomic furniture, access to historic products, fresh air and drinking water can make a big difference.

Addressing the communication gap

Small business owners often struggle to know what it takes to support women’s health in their workplace. Many avoid discussing reproductive health issues due to discomfort, fear of saying the wrong thing or seeming insensitive. Similarly, women often feel embarrassed discussing these issues with male employers or managers, with 65% feeling uncomfortable talking about their health at work. This reluctance leads to significant emotional and professional consequences: 90% of women feel emotionally tense, 46% feel helpless and 43% feel less motivated at work.

Advocacy development program

To bridge this gap, The Women’s Organization has launched the Women’s Workplace Wellness Advocacy Development Program, which trains individuals to become Advocates for Women’s Health in their small businesses or organizations. These Advocates serve as a first point of contact or “listening ear” for colleagues, facilitating discussions and helping to make reasonable accommodations to support women’s health needs. The program has received the Open Awards’ Badge of Excellence, in recognition of 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. Anne-Marie Swift, head of the Women’s Workplace Wellness Project, says: “When companies prioritize the health and wellbeing of their female employees, they experience numerous benefits that have a positive impact on the entire organization. From improved productivity and reduced absenteeism to greater employee satisfaction and retention, the benefits are multifaceted and substantial,” and Professor Maggie O’Carroll, CEO of The Women’s Organization adds: “Women have specific healthcare needs, compared to their male counterparts, and despite women Most SMEs, which make up more than half of the UK workforce, do not understand the extent of the support and flexibility required. The Women’s Workplace Wellness program is vital to driving positive change within SMEs in the UK. It helps break taboos around women’s reproductive health, achieve better results in women’s equality and – fundamentally – improve business performance as a direct result.

Small businesses can access the Women’s Workplace Wellness Program here: Wellness for Women in the Workplace – The Women’s Organization.

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