This week has marked a significant step forward for men’s health, with International Men’s Day (19 November) coinciding with two major developments that will influence the future of workplace health and wellbeing across the UK.
For HR leaders, Chief People Officers and health & wellbeing professionals, these announcements underline the growing expectation for employers to take a more proactive role in supporting men’s physical and mental health at work.
These developments build on the Government’s existing work related to women’s health, including menopause and reproductive support, by creating a more balanced, gender-responsive approach. They aim to address men’s specific health inequalities while reinforcing the workplace’s role in supporting the health and wellbeing of all employees.
UK government unveils first men’s health strategy for England
The UK Government has launched its first-ever Men’s Health Strategy for England – a comprehensive 10-year plan designed to reduce gender health inequalities and improve outcomes for men and boys.
Why the Men’s Health Strategy Matters to Employers
The strategy identifies several long-standing challenges:
- Higher rates of premature mortality in men
- Lower engagement with health services
- Greater likelihood of risk behaviours (smoking, alcohol misuse, gambling)
- Structural barriers that prevent men from seeking help
Importantly for HR leaders, the strategy explicitly highlights the proactive role employers can play in supporting men’s health, including through:
- Workplace-based health interventions
- Targeted support in male-dominated industries
- Improved access to health information and services at work
This firmly positions men’s health not as an optional initiative, but as part of the wider national approach to improving population health.
BS 30480 Suicide Prevention Standard launched at the House of Commons
Also announced this week is the launch of BS 30480 – Suicide and the Workplace: Intervention, Prevention and Postvention, the UK’s first dedicated workplace suicide prevention standard. Released by the British Standards Institution (BSI) on International Men’s Day, it sets out a structured, evidence-led framework for employers.
Why suicide prevention is a critical workplace issue
The statistics are stark:
- Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50
- Three in four suicides are male
- Every day, 14 men die by suicide in the UK
As Hannah Pearsall, Head of Diversity, Equity and Wellbeing at Hays, commented about the launch on her LinkedIn post:
“Workplaces have a unique opportunity to make a difference by fostering psychologically safe cultures, reducing stigma, and using this new standard to embed suicide prevention into everyday practice.”
What BS 30480 Means for HR Leaders
The standard provides clear guidance to help employers:
- Identify and assess suicide risk in workplace contexts
- Train line managers and leaders to spot warning signs
- Embed psychologically safe cultures
- Reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking
- Put in place robust postvention processes to support teams after an incident
- Integrate suicide prevention into health, safety and wellbeing governance
With suicide risk disproportionately affecting men, this standard represents a major step forward in addressing one of the most urgent public health issues facing workplaces today.
A call to action for HR, Health & Wellbeing and Business Leaders
Together, these two developments mark a watershed moment for men’s health in the UK and for how organisations act. Some considerations:
- Link men’s health initiatives to strategy: With the national strategy launched, organisations should map how their programmes for men align with it — and set measurable outcomes.
- Embed men’s health in workplace wellbeing frameworks: Men’s health (physical, mental, behavioural) should not sit separately; it must be part of integrated wellbeing strategy and performance metrics.
- Use risk-language, not only wellbeing language: Both developments emphasise accountability, risk, and action — enabling HR and wellbeing leads to engage senior leadership more effectively.
- Prioritise manager capability and culture: The standard highlights the need for managers to have the knowledge, confidence and frameworks to identify risk, intervene appropriately and support employees.
- Track and report outcomes: The national strategy introduces reporting expectations; organisations should ensure they can capture, analyse and demonstrate impact — not just activity.
In short: this week, men’s health has moved from the margins into mainstream organisational and public-health policy. For those responsible for health, wellbeing and employee experience, these two announcements offer both a challenge and a rich opportunity. Now is the time to act.
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