3 conversations HR should be having about men’s health
We talk about mental health. We talk about women’s health. But men’s health? That one still often gets stuck in the throat.
Whether it’s the silent struggles with stress, the embarrassment of digestive symptoms, or the “I’ll get to it later” attitude around prostate checks - too many men in the workforce are brushing issues aside, often until it’s too late.
But we can’t afford to keep it that way.
Poor men’s health isn’t just a personal issue - it’s a business one.
We know this because Peppy’s clinical team has exchanged thousands and thousands of messages with men in the past three years - across industries, job levels, and backgrounds.
What we’ve seen is clear: the culture of silence is hurting men and their employers.
If you’re in HR, here are the three conversations you need to be having. They’re real, urgent, and long overdue.
Identifying stress
1. “What does stress actually look like in our workforce?”
Let’s dispel the myth that stress always looks like taking a sick day or crying in the loo.
In men, it often looks like showing up late. Snapping in meetings. Nodding along but mentally checking out. Or just saying nothing.
One man came to us juggling a breakup, a transatlantic move, and the sudden responsibility of caring for a sick parent. He was quietly drowning in it all.
After finally speaking to someone, he told us: “I feel like I’ve become my genuine self. I’ve started a new, happier, healthier chapter. This wouldn’t have happened without support.”
So, what HR can do?
- Ditch the checkbox approach to mental health - normalise open conversations year-round
- Train managers to recognise subtle signals of emotional strain.
- Offer low-barrier, stigma-free access to support that feels human, not clinical.
2. “Do our people know the risks?”
Let’s be honest - most men aren’t sitting around Googling PSA levels or wondering if breast cancer affects them too. Unless someone tells them, these risks stay invisible.
One man joined a workplace webinar on prostate health.
A few months later, he was undergoing treatment for advanced prostate cancer.
He told us: “That webinar may well have saved my life. I’ve since encouraged my friends to get tested too.”
Another man we supported was diagnosed with male breast cancer - something most people don’t even realise is possible.
He said: “Peppy guided me through my darkest days. I finally understood what was happening to me - and what I could do about it.”
What HR can do:
- Don’t wait for awareness months - make men’s health education part of the annual wellbeing calendar.
- Include real stories and expert insights that spark action.
- Champion inclusive health literacy: from testosterone to fertility to breast checks.
3. “Is our support genuinely accessible - or just technically available?”
If your people have to dig through 10 pages of your intranet to find help, you’ve already lost them.
That’s why we hear things like: “It was nice chatting with you. I’ll keep you posted on how I get on.” “I get more medical recovery from Peppy than from my GP.” “Thanks so much. I keep spreading the word. It’s a great thing you do.”
Men will engage. But only if the experience is private, relevant, and normal.
What HR can do:
- Audit your current offerings: would you use them?
- Stop gatekeeping. Make access instant, mobile, and stigma-free.
- Use language that sounds like people - not policy.
Make men’s health part of the culture, not just the calendar.
These aren’t new issues - but they’re still not being tackled systemically. If we want to retain talent, reduce burnout, and create psychologically safe workplaces, we can’t keep overlooking 50% of the population.
So ask yourself: Are you making men’s health visible? Are you catching issues early? Are you creating spaces where men can speak - and be heard?
Because when men feel seen, they engage. When they engage, they take action. And when they take action, everyone wins - the individual, the team, the business.
So, where do you start?
Register to attend our webinar Men’s Health at Work: Turning Talk into Action 10 June 2025 | 12:00–13:00
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Peppy
Peppy is a global app-based employee benefit giving employees access to expert clinical care in menopause, fertility, pregnancy, and more - trusted by 250+ companies and reaching over 3 million people.
