Women’s health: Government encouraged to increase workplace support

Workplace health professionals and employers are calling on the government to do much more to encourage companies to invest in women’s healthcare.

In a letter addressed to Alison McGovern (Minister of Employment), 28 organisations, including the CIPD Society of Occupational Medicine and Society of Occupational Medicine have called for the government to take more action in order to encourage employers to invest in policies that support women’s reproductive health.

In the letter, it is argued that a better support system at work will not only improve employee wellbeing but also benefit businesses and wider society.

More support and investment will allow more people to be productive and contribute positively to business outcomes.

The letter explains that many women are forced to leave the workforce, or are prevented from progressing in their career because of health or reproductive issues. These include menopause symptoms or fertility problems.

The CIPD’s Report on Health and Wellbeing 2023 highlighted, for instance, that only 37% employers provide support for pregnancy loss. 26% also offer support to fertility issues, and 18% offer support to menstrual health concerns. The letter includes three recommendations that the UK government should act upon:

• Launch an assessment of the support for women and reproductive health in the workplace to identify economic opportunities that can be used to strengthen support, guidance, and enforcement of existing regulations. The review should be followed up by an action program.
• Launch a high profile campaign to encourage employers to create working environments that provide flexibility and occupational support for women’s health concerns throughout their careers.
• Access to health care services for people in and out of the workplace. This will help people stay in or return to appropriate jobs where they can manage their own health.

Rachel Suff is a senior policy and practice advisor for wellbeing and wellbeing at the CIPD. She said: “With supportive policies, better management support, and the ability to access specialist occupational healthcare support, we can retain more women in productive and fulfilling work.”

Emma Persand is the chair of SOM’s Women’s Health at Work Network. She said, “We must take urgent coordinated action by employers, policymakers and health systems in order to integrate occupational and public health strategies.”

Persand stated that “this requires real investment in prevention, better enforcement and policies that include all workers regardless of status or industry.”

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