Men’s health can be an often-overlooked aspect of workforce health. How can employers close this gap?
Health and Benefits|Employee Wellbeing|Employee Experience|Inclusion-and-Diversity
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November (or “Movember” as it has come to be popularly known in men’s health circles) is a good time to consider the persistent and, in many cases, preventable health issues affecting men.
The health challenges facing men:
Cancer
Prostate cancer is a significant global concern for all men globally, as it is the second most diagnosed cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men globally.
Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death for men, including conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Men can develop cardiovascular disease earlier than women, and risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle.
Diabetes
Men are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than women. Type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form, is closely linked to obesity, a poor diet, and a lack of physical activity.
Andropause
Less widely known, men can also suffer from hormone changes as women, as a natural part of aging. In men, the term “andropause” has been used to describe decreasing testosterone levels, typically occurring in middle age. The onset of andropause may cause significant physical, psychological and emotional changes in men.
Infertility
Male infertility refers to a male’s inability to cause pregnancy in a fertile female. Infertility affects approximately 1 in 5 couples in the United States. For about 35% of these couples, infertility is due to the male partner.
Mental health
Compared to women, men are more likely to die by suicide than women. World Health Organisation data shows that nearly 40% of countries have more than 15 suicide deaths per 100,000 men.
The employer's role in driving change
Employers can play a pivotal role in supporting men’s health through a thoughtful and inclusive employee benefits strategy that considers targeted prevention, early diagnosis and engagement.
Prevention: Building healthy habits
Prevention is the cornerstone of effective healthcare because it helps stop serious conditions before they start or worsen. Employers can evolve a prevention strategy by providing:
Health screenings: Offer annual check-ups, blood pressure and cholesterol testing, and cancer screenings—but go beyond simply providing them, ensuring communications and the checks included in the screening are personalised.
Build financial literacy: Fintech solutions often include educational resources that can help men improve their financial literacy, empowering them to make informed decisions.
Bring services to them: On-site health checks, mobile clinics and digital health tools reduce the friction of booking and attending appointments.
Normalise participation: Share stories from male colleagues who have benefited from early detection and the programs your organisation offers.
Target your communications: Ensure your employee experience is personalised and leverages different communications styles to engage male employees in health awareness programs that feel relevant to their individual circumstances and needs.
Early diagnosis: Raising awareness
Early diagnosis is critically important in men's health because it significantly improves the chances of successful treatment and long-term survival—especially for conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. This is especially relevant for men, who are more likely to delay seeking help.
Encouraging regular check-ups and symptom awareness in the workplace can help bridge this gap. This can be done through:
Internal campaigns: Use awareness dates such as Men's Health Week to spotlight issues like prostate cancer, heart health, and mental wellbeing.
Manager training: Equip leaders to recognise signs of stress, burnout, or physical health decline.
Health education: Share educational resources and host webinars with medical professionals or vendors to increase knowledge and health literacy.
Targeted communication: Ensure your health and wellbeing program communications target key demographics and health risks within your organisation, in a way that feels personal and addresses specific issues and needs.
Engagement: Creating a supportive culture
A supportive culture is crucial for men's health helping normalise potentially difficult and often avoided conversations reducing the fear of judgment. A positive workplace culture is foundational to health and wellbeing as an employer you can consider:
Lifestyle benefits: These can be powerful tools for improving men's health, but they need to be designed and communicated in ways that resonate with men's interests, values, and habits. Offer variety – not just traditional gyms, create social incentives – friendly competitions and challenges.
Digital tools: Research shows that men typically engage more with digital health tools and are more likely to use them to take early action to address wellbeing issues. Fitness and wellbeing apps can be particularly appealing to men when they're designed and positioned in the right way.
Many men prefer to manage their health privately and independently. Apps allow them to track progress, set goals, and make changes without needing to speak to a professional right away. Features like step counters, heart rate monitors, and achievement badges tap into a sense of competition and accomplishment, which can be highly motivating.
Normalise help-seeking: Share real stories from male employees who have accessed support. Where possible, try to encourage senior leaders in your organisation to share their stories to underline the commitment of the organisation to supporting a culture of openness and support for all employees.
Provide flexible access: Offer virtual GP services, mental health and other digital health support that fits around work schedules and engagement preferences.
Create inclusive communication: Ensure health messages are tailored to men of all backgrounds and roles, and use a variety of communication channels.
Improving men’s health – how can we help?
Enhance health literacy and awareness: Leveraging our expertise in data analytics and employee engagement, WTW can help design and implement impactful health literacy initiatives that resonate with your workforce.
Promote regular health screenings: By engaging the right vendor and through effective communication WTW can support with securing your company with accessible health screening services with the aim of early detection of potential health issues, ultimately reducing long-term healthcare costs.
Support mental health and wellbeing: WTW can enhance your mental health resources and support systems to address the psychological impact of financial and health-related stress. From gap analysis of existing support, to selecting and embedding the right vendor for your business, our teams can provide advice and listening tools to help tailor support programs.
Why it matters
Investing in men's health is more than a moral responsibility—it's a strategic opportunity. Men's health is a global issue, and can reflect how inclusive and responsive your organisation's benefits and wellbeing strategy truly is. WTW can provide comprehensive resources and expertise to improve the health and wellbeing of your male employees, leading to a healthier, more productive workforce.
Start by filling out the form on the right to download four infographics that you can forward your workforce today and throughout Movember on various aspects of men’s health.
