Closing the Gender Health Gap: Abandon One-size-fits-all Thinking

In the first of our three-part series exploring workplace gender equity, Women in Work Summit partners with Mercer experts to reveal why a one-size-fits-all approach to employer health benefits fails women across generations. The solution isn't more expensive healthcare – it's smarter, better-targeted support that recognises the complex intersection of gender, age, and life-stage.

The stark reality facing UK employers today is that employee wellbeing is in decline. New research from Mercer's Health on Demand 2025 study, surveying over 18,000 employees globally including 1,000 UK workers, reveals the percentage of employees feeling physically and mentally well has dropped from 82% in 2023 to 69% in 2025.

But this decline isn't equally distributed across the workforce. For example, one in six women are considering leaving work due to menopause symptoms, according to CIPD research, with this figure rising to one in four in the financial professional services sector. Taking into account that women represent nearly half (49%) of the UK workforce, according to the ONS UK Labour Force Survey, the talent retention implications are profound.

From menopause to maternity, women face distinct healthcare challenges at every career stage, yet workplace health benefits often fail to address these specific needs. The result? A widening gender health gap that's costing businesses talent, productivity, and competitive advantage.

Mercer’s study reveals concerning gaps in healthcare provision and awareness across the board: stating that while 70% of full-time employees lack medical coverage through their employer, 35% don't even know where to find information about their existing workplace benefits. Perhaps most tellingly, 48% find benefits communications unengaging.

Mercer team at the Women in Work Summit 2025

The intersection of gender, generation, and life stage

The gender health gap becomes even more complex when viewed through the lens of generational differences and life stages. Retirement concerns are particularly acute among women, with 53% of women worried about their financial readiness to retire, compared to 41% of men, according to Mercer’s Health on Demand 2025 research. This gender gap is most pronounced in Gen Z, where 39% of men and 60% of women are concerned about retirement finances.

Health enables productivity, but some employees are less confident they can afford the healthcare they need, outside the NHS. For example, 31% of Generation X lack confidence in their ability to afford their own healthcare — they are the least confident across the major generational cohorts.

“Given the concerns associated with the declining health of an aging workforce, this demographic needs to feel supported and empowered to manage their health effectively,” states Mercer’s Health on Demand 2025 research.

The caregiving burden also falls disproportionately on women, with females notably more likely to be unpaid carers than males, according to ONS data, and with 47% of caregivers worrying about affording quality eldercare. When combined with the fact that 49% of caregivers report workplace stress, compared to 34% of those living alone, the picture becomes clear: women are facing compounding pressures that many traditional benefits packages fail to address.

The prevention paradox

Perhaps most concerning is the gap in preventative care access – an area where employers can make significant impact while supporting NHS prevention goals, as outlined in NHS England’s 10 Year Health Plan, which prioritises “reaching patients earlier and making the healthy choice the easy choice.”

Currently, only 26% of full-time employees have access to health evaluations through their employer, according to CIPD data, dropping to just 6% for part-time workers, where women make up the majority, as shown by ONS data. This statistic is particularly troubling, given that women are more likely to work part-time due to caring responsibilities: women with dependent children are seven times more likely to work part-time than men, says the ONS.

The disconnect becomes even more stark when examining cancer screening access. Only 10% of employees receive preventative cancer screenings through employer schemes, according to Mercer research – ironically, this is the most valued physical health benefit for Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. Meanwhile, one in three women skip NHS cervical screenings, highlighting the need for workplace interventions that complement state-provided health services.

Moving beyond one-size-fits-all solutions

While traditional approaches to workplace health benefits often fail women, forward-thinking employers are abandoning one-size-fits-all thinking in favour of sophisticated, persona-based support systems.

Alison Byrne, Senior Principal & Workplace Health Consulting Leader (UK) at Mercer Marsh Benefits, describes how her team creates "navigation toolkits and persona-led pathways" that map both NHS and private services available to specific employee demographics and life stages.

"We break it down," she explains. "Is the need specific to cancer? Is the need specific to life stage? Is it specific to physical health or mental health? We help employers perform that interrogation at a broad level, and then start providing targeted guidance to employees about both their NHS entitlements, and any additional employer benefits."

This approach often reveals surprising opportunities. Many employers provide valuable benefits, yet employees aren’t always aware of them or fully utilising them – indeed 35% of employees don’t know where to find information about their benefits. “Employers must move beyond simply administering benefits, to create an engaging and personalised benefits experience,” says Byrne.

Practical steps for employers

1. Understand workforce demographics

The foundation of effective gender health equity lies in understanding workforce composition. This means mapping demographics against business plans to anticipate future needs – from menopause support for mid-life female employees to fertility assistance for younger professionals.

For large employers across all sectors, Byrne recommends starting with an inventory approach, and emphasises the importance of regular engagement: "Hold regular meetings to understand what's bothering employees, and how to support them during those times. We know from our own research that 44% of employees are not thriving in their roles (not prospering in terms of health, wealth and career), and 46% of parents report workplace stress."

2. Enhance communication and accessibility

With 48% of employees finding benefits communications unengaging, there's clear room for improvement. Personalisation is key – communications should reflect the diverse experiences employees face, whether it's childcare, caregiving, or gender-specific health needs like menopause.

Digital tools can play a crucial role in driving engagement as they offer anonymity, convenience, and personalisation. Using digital benefits software like Darwin can help personalise communications to life events such as buying a home, a recent marriage or a new baby. This approach can also be valuable when addressing sensitive topics like menopause, fertility, or mental health.

However, Byrne cautions against over-reliance on digital solutions: "We're working with different industries, different generations, different communication and engagement preferences. Employers need to have multiple ways of reaching people, whether they're navigating NHS services or private benefits."

3. Implement targeted support systems

Byrne points out that the solution isn't necessarily more expensive private benefits – it's smarter, more targeted support that complements NHS services. Cash plans, virtual GP services, and tech-enabled medical support can significantly improve accessibility for employees who need faster access than NHS waiting times allow, but don't require comprehensive private medical insurance. Lighter-touch, lower cost alternatives can also include mobile applications like Mercer’s Benefits You app, help improve employee access.

4. Address the wraparound support gap

Dr Luke James, Workplace Health Leader for Europe at Mercer Marsh Benefits, emphasises a critical point often overlooked by employers: "An employer policy might cover the cost of treatment, but how do you ensure that a woman with breast cancer is getting all the support around the treatment and all the support to return to work, and managing finances?"

This wraparound support applies – whether initial treatment is through NHS or private channels – the workplace support needed remains the same. Employers should consider how their benefits extend beyond immediate medical coverage to include practical support for managing work and health responsibilities.

Byrne emphasises that employers play a crucial role, even when not providing comprehensive medical coverage – by providing information and signposting employees towards appropriate resources and support services. She advocates for a workplace-centric approach: "An employer has a role in educating and putting control into the hands of employees. We all spend a lot of time at work, and so that is a great setting, where employers can support their workforce and complement NHS services."

The business case for action

The economic imperative for addressing the gender health gap extends far beyond healthcare costs. With almost half of employees not thriving in their roles and workplace stress affecting almost half of parents and caregivers, the impact on productivity and retention is significant. Moreover, with 60% of UK employees working for SMEs, the challenge becomes ensuring health equity across all business sizes.

The gender health gap isn't just a women's issue – with women making up almost half the UK workforce, it's an economic imperative that affects talent attraction, retention, and productivity across entire industries. The declining wellbeing statistics from Mercer’s Health on Demand 2025 study serve as a wake-up call for employers who want to maintain competitive advantage in an increasingly challenging labour market.

In an era where employee wellbeing is demonstrably declining, those employers who take proactive, targeted action to support women's health needs will not only improve individual outcomes, but position themselves as employers of choice.