Workplace wellbeing has become a major focus in recent years—but not for everyone equally.
Recent research from YuLife and YouGov shows a worrying trend: women are falling behind men when it comes to wellbeing at work. According to the study, only 54% of women rate their workplace wellbeing as “good,” compared to 63% of men. That’s not a small gap—it’s a warning sign. If wellbeing strategies are meant to support everyone, why are women being left behind?
Unfortunately, I’ve seen this pattern play out time and again
Organisations roll out wellbeing initiatives; mental health support, flexible working policies, financial wellbeing schemes, but the reality is that these don’t always translate into real impact for women. The biggest barriers? Financial insecurity, workload pressures, and lack of flexibility.
While men are benefiting more from existing workplace wellbeing initiatives, women are still juggling responsibilities that extend far beyond the workplace; whether it’s caring responsibilities, financial burdens, or a lack of tailored support. If wellbeing policies don’t address these realities, they aren’t doing their job.
The YuLife report highlights key factors behind the wellbeing gap:
- Financial Stress: Women are more likely to experience financial insecurity at work, affecting their mental health and job performance.
- Lack of Flexibility: Flexible working benefits everyone, but the reality is that women (especially working mothers) face greater challenges balancing work and home life.
- Career Progression Challenges: Wellbeing isn’t just about feeling good at work, it’s about having opportunities to grow. If women don’t feel supported in their careers, their wellbeing suffers.
How Can Organisations Close the Wellbeing Gap?
- Recognise the Disparity: If wellbeing initiatives are working better for one group over another, there’s a problem. Measuring the impact of wellbeing support by gender is the first step to fixing it.
- Prioritise Financial Wellbeing: Financial stress is one of the biggest drivers of poor mental health at work. Offering financial education, salary transparency, and support for carers can help address the imbalance.
- Make Flexibility the Norm: Flexible working shouldn’t be a privilege or something people have to ask for, it should be a given. And it should apply to all roles and levels, not just certain jobs.
- Ensure Women Have a Seat at the Table: Wellbeing strategies need to be informed by the people they’re meant to support. That means listening to women in the workplace about what they actually need.
Let’s Talk
Workplace wellbeing isn’t one-size-fits-all. If organisations are serious about supporting all employees, they need to close the gender wellbeing gap, not just talk about it.
How do we make wellbeing work for everyone? Let’s start the conversation.
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