Women play a vital role in the success of every workplace. From leadership to frontline roles, their contributions drive innovation, empathy, collaboration and resilience across industries. Diverse teams—particularly those with gender balance—perform better, make smarter decisions, and reflect the communities they serve. When women are supported to lead and succeed, the entire organisation benefits: morale improves, retention increases, and the business becomes more adaptable and future-ready.
Creating a truly inclusive workplace means going beyond the basics—it requires action, empathy, and a culture where women (and all employees) can thrive.
To start, we must acknowledge the ongoing challenges women face at work. Despite progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership roles. These disparities are even more pronounced for Black, Asian and other ethnic minority women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women with disabilities.
Many women continue to carry the burden of unpaid or under-recognised responsibilities—mentoring junior colleagues, managing team wellbeing, and shouldering caring roles outside of work. The CIPD notes that the gender pay gap remains “stubbornly high,” and women are still far more likely than men to face sexual harassment at work.
With International Women’s Day just around the corner, we’ve gathered some valuable resources and guidance. Because meaningful support means more than kind words—it means creating real change.
Women in the workplace – Report from McKinsey and Leanin.org
The latest 2024 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey and LeanIn.Org explores why women are leaving companies that don’t support them and what businesses can do better. Although US-based, the findings have global relevance—highlighting burnout, lack of flexibility opportunities, and the “broken rung” on the promotion ladder.
This image is from 2022 and it shows the increase in rates when women are in the workplace. Since then, there has been an updated report on women in the workplace by McKinsey & Company, click here to read more!
Gender equality at work – report by CIPD
The CIPD’s most recent review of gender equality explores the systemic barriers women face—whether that’s in hiring, promotions or day-to-day culture. Their recommendations are especially helpful for HR and leadership teams: from offering true flexibility, to fostering inclusive leadership and championing visible role models.
Making your workplace fit for new and expectant mothers
Supporting new and expectant mothers should start with a comprehensive maternity risk assessment and continue well beyond maternity leave. A well-designed ergonomic setup can make a big difference—think lumbar support, adjustable desks, and temperature control.
Once baby arrives, employers should also consider:
- Providing a private, hygienic space for breastfeeding or expressing
- Offering flexibility to support a balanced return to work
- Encouraging open conversations without stigma
You can read our blog on how to help new and expectant mothers here.
Supporting employees through the menopause
The menopause is a natural phase of life that can have a significant impact on health, wellbeing, and performance at work—yet it remains one of the least discussed workplace topics. Symptoms can range from sleep disruption, anxiety and memory lapses to hot flushes and fatigue, all of which can make even routine tasks more challenging. Despite affecting half the population at some point, many women feel uncomfortable raising the subject with managers or colleagues, fearing they’ll be seen as less capable or committed.
With menopausal women now the fastest growing demographic in the UK workforce, it’s time to shift the narrative. Supporting staff through the menopause isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smart business decision. Simple adjustments like flexible working hours, access to cooling equipment, private rest areas or improved ventilation can make a huge difference. But just as important is fostering a culture where women feel safe, heard and understood. Training managers to have empathetic, informed conversations can go a long way towards breaking the stigma. Policies, guidance and visible leadership support also show that menopause is not a taboo, but a shared workplace issue.
Useful resources:
🔗 CIPD menopause workplace resources
🔗 Breathe HR’s menopause support guide
At Posture People, we believe in creating comfortable, inclusive environments where everyone can do their best work. That means designing for wellbeing—and listening, learning and leading when it comes to gender equality.
If you’d like support with ergonomic assessments, return-to-work planning or creating more inclusive workspaces, we’re here to help.
