By Kirsty Smith
The headlines this month have been a sobering reminder for UK business leaders: according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the gender pay gap is on track to persist for another 30 years.
For organisations with over 250 staff, the annual reporting cycle can feel like a repetitive exercise in explaining why progress is slow. But to get ahead of this 2056 prediction, we need to look past traditional recruitment quotas and address a silent driver of the gap: The Gender Health Gap.
The Hidden Economics of Women’s Health
In their “Women’s Health Economics,” report the NHS Confederation highlighted that absenteeism from menstrual health issues alone costs the UK economy £11 billion a year. That’s because the UK is losing 150 million working days each year due to women’s poor health and a lack of suitable support. Furthermore, roughly 60,000 women are currently out of the workforce entirely due to menopause symptoms.
When we look at the gender pay gap, often what we see is a “seniority gap” as well as the difference in average hourly rate of pay. If women are forced to take more sick leave, reduce their hours, or exit the workforce prematurely due to health conditions like endometriosis or perimenopause symptoms, they cannot progress into the high-earning senior roles.
As we approach Endometriosis Awareness Month in March, it is vital to recognise that this isn’t just a “wellbeing” topic, it is a performance and compliance one.
A recent employment appeal tribunal reinforced that endometriosis can be classified as a disability under the Equality Act. For sectors where talent retention and gender balance is already a challenge, losing 1 in 10 female employees to a lack of reasonable adjustments isn’t just a shame it’s a commercial failure that will show up in your gender pay gap reporting
3 Ways to Integrate Health and Wellbeing into Your Gender Pay Gap Action Plan
At Natural Rays Wellbeing Consultancy [linked to Directory page], we believe there are three key areas where meaningful workplace wellbeing protects you from discriminatory practices or the structural barriers that contribute to the gender pay gap.
1. Moving from “Reactive” to “Proactive” Support – Traditional sick leave policies and performance review procedures often penalise those with chronic, fluctuating conditions like endometriosis. By implementing flexible working practices that recognise endocrine conditions, menstrual health and menopausal symptoms, you retain the expertise of women who might otherwise feel forced to leave the workforce. Being proactive with your support also enables you to have a joined up approach in your gender pay gap and menopause action plans, which are both requirements under the Employment Rights Bill.
2. Upskilling Managers for Confident Wellbeing Conversations – The biggest barrier to women getting the support they need in the workplace isn’t the lack of investment in the support but a lack of open conversations with line managers. When managers feel ill-equipped to discuss menstruation or menopause, issues escalate into long-term absence and disciplinary procedures. Training your leadership to have non-judgmental, proactive health conversations where they don’t feel like they are over-stepping the mark is the fastest way to reduce the “health penalty” in your pay data.
3. Data-Driven Wellness – Align your health initiatives with your gender pay gap data. For instance, if your “Upper Middle” pay quartile is where you see the most female under-representation due to attrition, providing peri-menopause support through 1:1 coaching to better manage the various symptoms like anxiety and loss of confidence could be the specific intervention that saves your leadership pipeline.
Looking Toward International Women’s Day (IWD)
This International Women’s Day, the theme of “Inspiring Inclusion” must include health. Inclusion means creating a workplace where the biological reality of being a woman doesn’t become a career ceiling. Take a look at our directory page to see the type of awareness sessions you could run to support IWD 2026.
Ready to move beyond the report and start seeing results? If you are responsible for staff wellbeing, Inclusion & Diversity, Learning & Development and want to bridge the gap between health and your gender pay gap outcomes, I can help. From manager training to endometriosis-friendly frameworks, we specialise in a strategic and holistic approach to wellbeing that not only supports a happy and healthy workforce but directly impacts your gender pay gap.
Visit my Directory Page here to see my full range of workshops and manager training sessions.
