Redefining Workplace Safety: Prioritising Women’s Health and Wellbeing
When we think of workplace safety, we tend to picture hazard signs, ergonomic chairs, and emergency protocols. But for many women, the most persistent risks at work are the ones we don’t talk about—chronic stress, hormonal imbalance, burnout, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion.
On this World Day for Safety and Health at Work, it’s time to rethink what safety truly means—and who it’s designed for.
Because the truth is: workplace safety was never designed with women in mind.
Unseen. Unspoken. Undersupported.
Workplaces today are more complex than ever. Yet health and safety frameworks often remain stuck in the past—focused on the physical, while completely overlooking the emotional and hormonal realities of women’s health.
- A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that over 80% of women lose productivity due to menstrual symptoms—yet only 13% feel supported enough to take time off.
- Research by UVA Health revealed that nearly half of working women report absenteeism due to menstrual-related symptoms.
- And PCOS alone—affecting 1 in 10 women—leads to significant drops in work performance for over 70% of those affected.
These aren’t just health issues.
They’re workplace safety issues.
And for far too long, they’ve been left unaddressed.
The Mental Load Is a Safety Hazard
For women, workplace stress isn’t just about deadlines or meetings. It’s layered with caregiving responsibilities, reproductive health challenges, and the emotional burden of having to “keep it all together” in environments that aren’t built for them.
This mental and hormonal load can lead to:
- Chronic stress and fatigue
- Underdiagnosed mental health conditions
- Anxiety, burnout, and presenteeism
- Emotional withdrawal and disengagement from work
And yet, most safety policies still don’t consider these factors as risks worth addressing.
Nixy: Because Workplace Safety Should Include Women’s Health
At Nixy, we believe the only way to build truly safe workplaces is to acknowledge the real experiences of women at work—and to support them with care that’s smart, personal, and always available.
Here’s how we help organisations shift from outdated protocols to modern, inclusive safety:
Femwell Tracker – Understand how hormonal shifts affect mental and emotional wellbeing, and act on that insight.
Confidential Access to Professionals – Connect instantly with experts in mental health, nutrition, hormonal health, and coaching.
Real-Time Resources – 24/7 access to articles, tools, videos, and wellbeing check-ins designed around the female body and mind.
In-App Journal – Reflect, reset, and track your emotional state through a private wellbeing space.
Because when a woman’s health is supported, her potential is unlocked—not limited by silence or shame.
A Call to Every Organisation
This World Day for Safety and Health at Work, we invite HR leaders, CEOs, and wellbeing professionals to pause and ask:
- Are our safety protocols inclusive of mental, emotional, and hormonal wellbeing?
- Do our employees feel psychologically safe to speak about their health experiences without judgement?
- Are we supporting women through every life stage—from menstruation and fertility to menopause and beyond?
If not, it’s time to act.
Building the Future of Workplace Safety, Together
True workplace safety isn’t just about preventing injury.
It’s about creating systems of care that protect the whole person—especially the people who’ve been most overlooked.
Let’s stop treating women’s health as a side conversation.
Let’s make it central to how we define wellbeing at work.
Let’s build that future—with Nixy.
Learn how Nixy can support your team’s wellbeing strategy.
Because safety should be inclusive. And health should be human.