Shining a Light on Social Safety and Inclusion in the Workplace

This International Women’s Day we're urging businesses to prioritise social safety and inclusion at work to create environments where women feel respected, supported, and able to thrive.

To support the initiative, senior leaders in Howden were asked: “If you could introduce one new employee benefit to accelerate gender equality in the workplace, what would it be and why?”

Cheryl Brennan, Managing Director of Howden Employee Benefits UK, responded: "If I could introduce one benefit, it would be a social safety and inclusion programme. Gender equality cannot exist without tackling social safety. It’s not just about creating policies - it’s about creating workplaces where women feel respected, safe and supported so they can thrive."

This is a key issue as over 53% of women have experienced sexual harassment at work^[i], and new legislation - The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 - requires employers to proactively prevent sexual harassment in the workplace by implementing clear policies, staff training, and effective reporting mechanisms.

However, Cheryl emphasises that businesses need to think beyond just compliance: "It’s not just about complying with regulation, employers have a duty of care to create workplaces where women feel safe and comfortable. Safety and inclusion should be at the heart of a company’s culture, supported by the leaders and embedded through comprehensive training, education and resources."

Howden is a proud supporter of Our Safer City and as part of its International Women’s Day focus it will be signposting the charity’s services such as taxi marshalling to ensure employees can get home safely, Safe Haven locations, and ‘Ask for Angela’ venues.

Don Randall MBE, Founder of Our Safer City, stated: "We are delighted to see Howden championing social safety and inclusion this International Women's Day. Our Safer City initiative now includes 260 Safe Havens and 150 WAVE and Ask for Angela venues aimed at keeping women safe."

International Women's Day is also an opportunity to highlight the serious impact of domestic abuse in the workplace, with an estimated 1.6 million women having experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2024^[ii].

Data from the Employers' Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA)^[iii] reveals that 90% of employees experiencing domestic abuse state it affects their work performance, over half require time off, and 1 in 50 women lose their jobs. Domestic abuse also has a significant financial impact for businesses, with an estimated £17 billion lost in productivity to businesses each year^[iv].

Cheryl highlights the important role employers have to play: "Domestic abuse has a serious impact on employees. The stark figures from EIDA highlight the critical need for employers to address domestic abuse, despite the challenges of its complexity and the stigma that often surrounds it.”

“Employers must recognise domestic abuse impacts the workplace and take the opportunity to raise awareness of the issue in the same way they have for menopause support by having open conversations and delivering education and training. A good starting point for businesses is EIDA, which offers essential resources free of charge and guidance to help businesses create safe environments."

Here are five key actions employers can take to create safe workplaces including:

1. Embed safety and inclusion into company culture, with leaders encouraging open dialogue across the workforce.
2. Provide employees with a safe space to speak out, whether through anonymous platforms, HR contacts, or external support services.
3. Support employees beyond the workplace - domestic abuse doesn’t stay at home, and it affects work performance.
4. Join initiatives like the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) as they can help businesses shape policies, practices, and provide training to help managers recognise the signs and help employees.
5. Train managers to spot the signs of anyone struggling, so they can intervene and provide the necessary support.

Cheryl adds: "International Women’s Day shines a spotlight on the important role employers have to play in addressing inequalities - in creating a workplace where women don’t have to choose between safety and their careers. Building safer workplaces and creating more inclusive teams benefits us all."