International Men’s Day - Promoting Positive Conversations about Masculinity in the Workplace and Supporting the Mental Wellbeing of our Male Colleagues 

Observed in more than 70 countries, International Men’s Day (IMD) is an annual day celebrating the positive value men and boys bring to the world, their family, and their communities. In the UK, the day centres around three key themes: making a real difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys; promoting a positive conversation about men, manhood, and masculinity; and raising awareness and/or funds for charities supporting men’s and boys’ wellbeing. 

Bouygues Energies & Services (Bouygues E&S) places the health, safety, and wellbeing of all our employees at the top of our agenda. Yet any conversation around the wellbeing of men is incomplete without also considering the importance of mental health. Currently, three out of every four people who die by suicide are men; in fact, suicide is the leading cause of death of men under 50 [NHS, 2022]. For men in the construction sector, this risk is considerably higher. 

Bouygues E&S recognises our shared responsibility to champion mental health within the built environment sector. That’s why alongside sponsoring the Lighthouse Club, a charity specialising in providing mental health support to construction workers, we strive to embed a supportive culture across our sites and offices. All employees can talk confidentially with any of our 160 trained Mental Health First Aiders and have the ability to access free, anonymous therapy sessions through our employee assistance programme. 

A core element of our culture that promotes positive conversations about masculinity is the continual work of our employee-led Parents and Carers Connected (PACC) network which supports men in their roles as fathers and carers. PACC has challenged outdated notions of what it means to be a man by celebrating men for their caring and nurturing roles. One example of this is an engaging webinar the network hosted on how workplaces can provide gender neutral support for working parents.  

Co-chair of the PACC network, Malcolm Baines, shared with us his thoughts on how attitudes towards masculinity have evolved over his 30-year working career. 

“When I started as a tax trainee in 1990 the work culture revolved around working hard and playing harder. Long hours at the office or with the client were followed by an evening of networking and socialising. It was a very narrow definition of what it meant to be a professional man. Now, there is more acknowledgement that men are also committed to parenting their children or looking after others. Employers are increasingly recognising that employees perform better when they’re supported in these priorities, for example by embracing flexible working for men as well as for women.  

By celebrating and promoting these values of caring and nurturing through our PACC network, we can continue to challenge antiquated concepts of masculinity. It’s a win-win for everyone.”