Women’s health in the workplace – are we hitting the mark?

By Loch Associates Group.

It’s no secret that women experience some rather complex life transitional stages, including menstrual health, fertility issues and perimenopause and menopause, each presenting physical, emotional and psychological challenges.

Understanding the legal framework around these issues is an important starting point to ensure businesses are not only compliant with their legal obligations but protected against potential claims. This is particularly important given the fact that there has been a 75% increase in Employment Tribunal claims citing menopause-related issues.

One in five women who are experiencing fertility issues are also considering leaving work due to the impact on them and their ability to fit treatments around work life. These statistics reinforce the need for businesses to create workplaces that go over and above the legal minimum, in order to retain the best talent. These progressive businesses will recognise the benefits that can be obtained from placing these issues at the heart of their business to engage, empower and enable the female workforce to not just cope with their situation but try to thrive through it.

By providing your female staff with proactive support and a healthy and safe working environment you’re not only likely to be legally compliant, you’re also likely to experience benefits where talent attraction and staff retention are concerned. Staff who feel safe and secure at work are much less likely to look elsewhere and you can build a reputation as an organisation that empowers and advances its workforce, which is only likely to bolster your employee value proposition.

We need to remember that women’s wellbeing is not just about the impact on the person you employ but also on the people around them. Doing business this way is sure to bring about a whole business benefit.   

Small interventions can have a significant impact. They demonstrate how seriously an employer takes the health and wellbeing challenges employees face and opens up the dialogue to help reduce and remove any remnants of taboo and stigma. The result? Happier staff, empowered to perform to the best of their potential and take your organisation to the next level.

Train your team

Loch Associates Group has collaborated with Dr Olivia Hum from Myla Health to create a workplace training package designed to address all the clinical, legal and HR considerations around women’s health in the workplace.

This training package gives business owners and leadership teams insights into the clinical factors surrounding these challenges, to understand the legal landscape and finally consider practical HR solutions that can be put into place to be a legally compliant, progressive and responsible employer.

To find out more about this training and the costs of the package, please contact Amy.White@lochassociates.co.uk.