Promoting workplace gender equality: Five innovative health-related policies

Author: Stephen Simpson

Employers are increasingly focused on using health initiatives to remove barriers to gender equality, diversity and inclusion. We round up five gender-focused health-related policies that have caught on in UK workplaces in recent years.

1. Menopause policy

Employers that are serious about gender equality recognise that a higher rate of employment among older women means that more working women than ever before are experiencing the menopause.

This change in the workforce demographic has contributed to many employers introducing a menopause policy.

A robust menopause policy can play an important role in helping to:

• raise awareness and understanding of menopausal symptoms; and
• let staff experiencing the menopause know where to turn to for help if they need it and the options available to them.

Menopause policy: three key issues to cover

• To improve understanding among the workforce, explain what the menopause is, the age range in which it normally occurs, and what the most common symptoms are.
• Highlight policies that could help employees experiencing menopausal symptoms, in particular flexible working policies. For example, the employer could give the employee the option to work flexibly on a temporary basis when they are experiencing menopausal symptoms.
• Set out potential physical adjustments that could be made, including controls to workplace temperature and relaxation of dress/uniform codes.

• Example menopause policy

2. Menstruation (period) policy

While many employers have implemented a menopause policy, it appears that fewer have introduced a menstruation (period) policy.

Having a menstruation (period) policy can help employers to normalise discussions in the workplace on this "taboo" subject.

There is still a stigma associated with menstruation and employees may be reluctant to discuss how menstruation is impacting their work with colleagues or their line manager.

Menstruation (period) policy: three key issues to cover

• Explain what the common menstrual symptoms are and stress that these can affect people differently. Some employees will experience few or no symptoms but for others the symptoms will have a major impact on their daily lives.
• Highlight policies that could help employees experiencing menstrual symptoms, in particular flexible working policies. For example, the employer could give the employee the option to work flexibly on a temporary basis when they are experiencing menstrual symptoms.
• Set out potential physical adjustments that could be made, including controls to workplace temperature and relaxation of dress/uniform codes.

• Example menstruation (period) policy

3. Fertility treatment policy

Given that this is a subject that many still feel reticent to discuss in the workplace, a policy on supporting employees having fertility treatment can help to ensure that:

• staff feel supported during what can be a challenging personal journey;
• there is an inclusive culture, which in turn is good for retention and motivation.

A fertility treatment policy can be challenging to draft and implement, given the absence of a statutory framework to support employees having fertility treatment.

The wide variety of potential physical and emotional responses to fertility treatment and the unpredictability in the timing and length of the treatment are also complicating factors.

Fertility treatment policy: three key issues to cover

• Define "fertility treatment" widely because the nature of the treatment, timing of the treatment, and the stage that each employee has reached in their fertility treatment journey varies greatly.
• Consider offering leave to staff having fertility treatment over and above the usual time off for medical appointments and sickness absence. For example, the employer could allow paid leave to attend a set number of fertility treatment appointments.
• Highlight other policies that could help employees having fertility treatment, especially flexible working policies. For example, the employer could give the employee the opportunity to work flexibly on a temporary basis for the duration of their fertility treatment.

• Example fertility treatmentFertility treatment policypolicy

4. Pregnancy loss policy

A sensitively drafted policy on supporting employees experiencing pregnancy loss can help to:

• raise awareness and understanding of pregnancy loss and guide managers and colleagues on how to respond appropriately in the workplace; and
• encourage employees to be open about a pregnancy loss and help them feel able to ask for the necessary support.

The wording of the policy needs to find a balance between being sympathetic to the plight of the employee and communicating the employee's rights clearly and efficiently to them.

Pregnancy loss policy: three key issues to cover

• Be clear about the employee's statutory entitlement to leave. For example, the employee's entitlement to maternity leave and parental bereavement leave depends on whether they have experienced a miscarriage, which occurs before the end of the 24th week of pregnancy, or a stillbirth, which occurs after 24 complete weeks of pregnancy.
• Highlight other types of leave that may be available to the employee, including compassionate leave and bereavement leave. In particular, this recognises that the law is not on the side of an employee who experiences a miscarriage, with the right to statutory leave available only after 24 complete weeks of pregnancy.
• Recognise that the loss of a baby is a distressing experience for both parents, meaning that the policy should also offer support to employees whose partner has had a miscarriage or stillbirth.

• Example pregnancy loss policy

5. Domestic abuse policy

A policy on supporting staff experiencing domestic abuse can be a useful part of an employer's gender equality initiatives and wider wellbeing strategy.

The workplace can provide someone who is experiencing domestic abuse with a network outside the home where they can draw on support. Work may be one of the few places where they feel able to speak up so it is important for employers to provide a framework for support and to be ready to provide assistance in this situation.

Employers can use the policy to commit to recognising and supporting victims of domestic abuse through the provision of a safe working environment, information and help where appropriate.

Domestic abuse policy: three key issues to cover

• Define "domestic abuse" widely as abusive behaviour covers not only physical abuse but also controlling or coercive behaviour. A useful starting point is the definition used in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which applies in England and Wales.
• Make the policy gender neutral. While women are considerably more likely to experience domestic abuse, including sexual violence, not all domestic abuse is by a man against a woman in a heterosexual relationship.
• Provide as many avenues as possible for staff to seek help, both internally and externally. This could be an appointed person in the workplace to act as a confidential first point of contact or external contacts such as confidential access to counselling or an employee assistance programme.

• Example domestic abuseSupporting staff experiencing domestic abuse policypolicy