Women’s health should no longer be a taboo for employers

Francesca Steyn

Director of Fertility and Women’s Health Services, Peppy

Mridula Pore

Co-CEO and Co-Founder, Peppy

Employers are taking a more preventative approach to women’s health and wellbeing through a new generation of employee benefits.

Women’s health conditions have for too long been a taboo subject, both inside and outside the workplace. Despite 85% of women having experienced at least four women’s health conditions, and conditions such as endometriosis affecting one in 10 women, only 35% of women feel comfortable talking about health issues in the workplace. Often, women are resigned to pass off ‘embarrassing’ issues, like period pain, as a migraine or something more ‘acceptable’ at work.

Historically, there has been a lack of accessible support for women’s health conditions, driving women towards Google for advice – and the misinformation and rabbit holes that come with it.

Bridging the gap for women’s health

Thankfully, the tide is turning. The employee benefits market has shifted from focusing on treating health conditions once they have been diagnosed, to focusing on preventative care and holistic, practical support for employee’s wellbeing, including mental, physical and emotional health.

Health tech start-up Peppy, which launched in 2018, is playing a key role in this movement. Peppy provides specialist support for traditionally underserved and under supported areas of healthcare, via the Peppy app. Its portfolio of services have expanded from early parenthood support, to menopause and fertility, to men’s health support. The latest addition focuses on all aspects of women’s health.

There’s a war for talent right now. All employers want to build a gender-diverse, multi-generational workforce.

Mridula Pore

Creating an environment for women to thrive

Francesca Steyn, Peppy’s Director of Fertility and Women’s Health Services, believes evolving employee expectations and attitudes to healthcare are inspiring action. “Previously, women have felt they weren’t able to speak about their health conditions at work and would just ‘get on with it’.

“Women today feel more empowered. They want to take ownership of their wellbeing and have access to support they can trust. And they’re demanding more from their work.”

For employers, the rationale is that accessible, anonymous support – available remotely and outside 9-5 hours – can reduce employee stress and workplace absence and promotes better workforce health, encouraging wellbeing and productivity.

This in turn gives the employer the tools they need needs to encourage inclusion and equity, and attract and retain a diverse workforce.

Dr Mridula Pore, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Peppy says: “There’s a war for talent right now. All employers want to build a gender-diverse, multi-generational workforce. To succeed, businesses must prioritise the health of their people. Offering benefits which support their people’s wider ambitions are not ‘nice-to-haves’. They are essential for an organisation to position themselves as a destination employer.”