What could International Men’s Day start in your workplace?
What would help the men in your organisation feel supported – in their work and beyond?
Perhaps it is time to reflect on a changing role at home? A chance to talk about the pressures of combining career and caring responsibilities? Or be offered confidential support during a health challenge or a period of uncertainty?
International Men’s Day on 19 November offers an opportunity to explore these questions with your employees. It is also a chance to make space for what matters to them and consider how that understanding can shape your support throughout the year.
To help you turn those conversations into action, we’ve created a men’s wellbeing pilot package for organisations to support men through the Moments That Matter.
Why we’re giving men’s wellbeing greater visibility
Becoming a parent, caring for a loved one or reconsidering career priorities can change what someone needs from work. Yet men may not always see themselves reflected in communications about parenting, caring or work–family balance.
Even when support is available, they may feel unsure about using it. Will asking for flexibility affect their prospects for promotion? How much should they share with their manager? Where can they discuss a personal concern in confidence? Research by Working Families and Wates Group, involving 5,000 working fathers, highlights the barriers they can face.
Giving men’s experiences greater visibility can help employers understand these barriers and address them. It also creates room for conversations about ambition, relationships and the kind of working life men want to build.
A practical starting point for your organisation
Our Supporting Men’s Wellbeing pilot package brings together:
- An expert-led webinar to raise awareness and encourage discussion.
- Confidential one-to-one career coaching to help men work through individual challenges and identify practical next steps.
- Employee communications to promote the offer and encourage participation.
- Anonymous feedback to understand employees’ experiences and inform future provision.
The webinar creates an opportunity to explore shared themes. Coaching provides a more personal space where employees can reflect on what they are navigating and how they want to move forward, including progressing their careers through the Moments That Matter. That might mean exploring ambitions alongside a changing role at home, combining career development with caring responsibilities, or finding a way forward during a health challenge or period of uncertainty.
Together, these elements help employers offer support while learning from the experience. Anonymous feedback can inform decisions about what to develop, making International Men’s Day a starting point for an ongoing approach to men’s wellbeing.
Including men in the gender equality conversation means listening to those aspirations and understanding what makes them difficult to act on. It also means helping managers respond with confidence and making support accessible in everyday working life.
When everyone feels supported to thrive at work and at home, we move closer to a more equal workplace.
Get in touch with our team to discuss how supporting men’s wellbeing can benefit your organisation.