“Employers play a vital role in supporting men’s health by creating an open culture with supportive wellbeing benefits,” Vicky Walker, group director of people at wellbeing provider Westfield Health, told HR magazine.
A quarter (26%) of men reported their mental health had declined over the last year, and 41% of those that did said these challenges negatively impacted their productivity at work, a survey by wellbeing provider Westfield Health showed.
One in 10 (11%) men said they were currently dealing with physical health issues.
Over two thirds (67%) of men, however, had not sought help for their mental health in the last year.
In November, health secretary Wes Streeting announced the government would launch a 10-year men’s health strategy.
The details of the strategy are set to be announced next year, and will likely target conditions disproportionately impacting men.
A research paper published by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) in December 2023 showed men, on average, died four years earlier than women. It also found that men accounted for three quarters (74%) of suicides and were disproportionately impacted by health conditions, including some types of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
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Gender norms could prevent men from preventing health support at work, according to Claire Ashley, a GP and workplace mental health lead at mental health platform Headspace.
Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “Employers need to be aware of how gender norms influence decisions to seek mental health support.
“Due to harmful societal expectations and stereotypes, men experiencing health challenges may be more likely to try to ’push through’ or ‘soldier on’, creating a vicious cycle of diminished mental wellbeing.
“Toxic masculinity in business and work culture may also play a role here.”
The top contributors to stress for men were financial worries (reported by 44% of men), workplace stress (36%) and anxiety about the future (33%), Westfield Health found.
HR should ensure leaders model psychological safety for male employees to seek help for their health, Ashley added.
She continued: “Providing employees with male role models can help to break down some of these barriers.
“Ideally this should happen at all levels of seniority within the workplace; however, when senior male leaders cultivate a culture of psychological safety and demonstrate the help-seeking behaviours they want to encourage, this has a powerful effect on men's mental health in the workplace.”
All employees should be encouraged to have open discussions about men’s wellbeing, Naveen Puri, medical director at health insurance provider Bupa Insurance, advised.
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“Encouraging open discussions on men’s health issues and educating employees to create awareness is essential,” he told HR magazine.
“Incorporating men’s health into broader health and wellbeing conversations helps dispel the mystery and fear surrounding health concerns, which is a major barrier to seeking help.”
Male-specific health benefits could also improve the conversation around male health, Ashley suggested.
She noted: “A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. HR and leaders should, at every juncture, be inviting men and male-identifying employees to the table to help co-design the benefits, engagement, outreach and activation strategies.
“By doing so, employers can ensure that mental health benefits and support systems are personalised and tailored to meet diverse needs.”
Puri pointed to male-specific services that could appeal to men.
He said: “Tailored health and wellbeing services have also been specifically designed to support the male workforce, including a men’s sexual function plan, and specialist centres for prostate and bowel health provide fast access to diagnostic tests and onward care if needed.”
Meanwhile, Ashley pointed to solutions such as health tracking apps that contained “resilience-building tools”, while Walker suggested health cash plans, cycle to work schemes, group activities and confidential health screenings.
