A recent report highlights the impact of gender understanding on workplace absence, revealing key differences in support needs.
- Over half of surveyed employees express the need for enhanced employer support for health and wellbeing.
- Significant gender split observed: women seek menopause support, while men focus on productivity improvement.
- Report suggests high absence costs, averaging £568 per employee, emphasizing financial implications of overlooked needs.
- Tailored gender-based health support could improve employee retention and reduce workplace absences.
The latest corporate health and wellbeing report sheds light on the crucial role of understanding gender-specific needs in the workplace. Over half of the employees surveyed indicated a requirement for better support from employers, particularly in terms of health and wellbeing.
The report identifies a stark gender divide in support needs. A significant 29% of women expressed a desire for menopause-specific assistance, contrasting with a smaller percentage of men focusing on different health initiatives. Notably, 34.51% of women compared to 25.88% of men are seeking support for weight issues. Additionally, nearly 40% of men are interested in improving productivity through workplace support.
Highlighting the financial stakes, the report notes that workplace absence costs businesses an average of £568 per individual, a figure expected to rise with increasing absence days. This underscores the importance of addressing both age and gender factors in crafting effective workplace wellbeing strategies.
Pamela Gellatly, a strategic development director, emphasises the inadequacy of focusing solely on age without considering gender-driven needs. She states, “All employers must consider the differing needs of the whole workforce,” stressing that gender-specific health benefits could enhance employee retention, particularly among women who prioritise health and wellbeing provisions.
The report reveals a dynamic in which women are increasingly proactive in managing their mental health, with 56% of women focusing on this aspect compared to 49% of men. Pamela notes the rising interest among young women in maintaining mental health through proactive measures like activity and nutrition.
Despite improvements in addressing female health concerns such as menopause, the report highlights insufficient support for male health issues linked to ageing, such as low testosterone. These can lead to symptoms affecting workplace presence, which again points to the need for comprehensive gender-sensitive health strategies.
Survey data exposes a gap between employer initiatives and employee expectations, especially in nutritional support, where less than a third of employers provide what employees consider crucial for their wellbeing. This gender-driven data, when combined with age, delivers a multifaceted understanding crucial for developing effective corporate health solutions.
Recognising and addressing gender-specific health needs is vital for reducing workplace absence and improving employee retention.
