Mel has a strong foundation in project and relationship management within the health sector, currently leading the Employer Membership Programme at Wellbeing of Women. Working with organisations across a variety of sectors and sizes, ranging from corporate to public and third sector, she provides strategic support to help embed impactful women’s health initiatives in the workplace.
Her work combines programme development, stakeholder engagement, and event coordination, with a focus on delivering high-quality experiences and driving member retention.
Mel is deeply passionate about improving workplace wellbeing and advancing equity in women’s health. She thrives on building meaningful partnerships and creating spaces where organisations can lead positive change.
A mum to 2 young children, Mel knows first-hand the importance of a positive and inclusive workplace culture to enable women to thrive and achieve their ambitions.
We are delighted to be partnering with Wellbeing of Women for our UK Summit and that Mel will be running a workshop at our Manchester summit: “Women’s health at work is everyone’s business: What employers need to do now”. We caught up with her to see how she’s feeling in the run up to the summit:
Hi Mel, we are thrilled that you are joining us at the UK Wellbeing at Work Summit in September. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
I’m feel pretty good. The sun is shining which makes everyone naturally happier!
As a leader based in the region, what are the main challenges you are facing when it comes to employee wellbeing and mental health?
Wellbeing is such a broad phrase. It covers so much. And everyone’s perspective and experience of wellbeing differs. As does everyone’s needs. This puts a lot of pressure on employers and staff to balance the load, whilst competing with organisational priorities and deliverables.
Reasonable adjustments and flexible working arrangements have supported significantly. But that’s the tip of the iceberg.
What strategies have you seen developing over the past 6 months, both internally and externally, that are moving the dial on wellbeing in the workplace?
Many employers are much more receptive to supporting the needs of their staff. There is greater acknowledgement that a supported workforce is a productive one. Which is a win for everyone.
We are also seeing legislative changes which give employees greater access to support and protection, for example, the Employment Right Act has introduced menopause action plans for larger employers, which means they’re mandated to implement initiatives that support people experiencing the menopause. The new legislation will give greater support to women and working parents, including more rights for pregnant workers, bereavement leave, zero hour contracts and sexual harassment protections.
Greater awareness is leading to change. But more needs to be done.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
Personally and professionally, I’ve experienced firsthand the impact of good and bad employee wellbeing. Where employers truly care and support, that’s where they get the best out of their staff, retain talent, and attract the best in their sector.
As a working mum of 2 young children, having experienced difficult births, mental health challenges, juggling parenthood, and navigating return to work, I know how difficult it can be, and have experienced both good and bad support.
My aim is to ensure that everyone has access to the support they need.
Employers have a moral, economic and legal responsibility.
What impact is AI having in your organization and how are you managing that?
AI is a fantastic tool when used in the right way. I’ve used it in a variety of ways, such as cross-referencing documents, developing ideas, and building briefs, for example.
It should be used with caution though and we wouldn’t advocate using it for clinical advice and information.
Other than AI, are there any challenges that you are seeing for the first time and how are you addressing them?
There’s a lot of organisations that see the benefits of providing menopause support – there is a lot of fantastic support and information out there.
However, we cannot ignore the many other wellbeing issues and life stages a person may experience, such as endometriosis, pregnancy and pregnancy loss, PMDD, fertility struggles. The biggest challenge we are facing is ensuring that these other issues aren’t being ignored as they impact millions of people.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
The Employment Rights Act 2025 brings about many much-needed changes to the rights of workers. The introduction of mandatory menopause action plans for employers with 250+ is a really promising step in the right direction. Large organisations should, of course, be focussing on putting together their action plan ahead of the April 2027 deadline. But it’s crucial that these employers, and those who aren’t mandated to publish an action plan, don’t inadvertently become tunnel-visioned to just focus on the menopause. Employers should capitalise on this opportunity to lobby for genuine, meaningful workplace support for all women’s health, and employees should feel empowered to speak up for what they need.
There is support out there for employers – there’s no expectation to become experts in women’s health. Programmes like Wellbeing of Women’s Employer Membership Programme is there to provide the practical tools and resources that every employer needs.
Do you feel that investment in employee wellbeing in the region is increasing or decreasing and is that a direct reflection on HR leaders’ increasing ability to demonstrate effective returns of their strategies to leadership?
I think employers are seeing the benefits and importance of employee wellbeing and, subsequently, investing. However “wellbeing” is such a broad term and is interchangeable and fluctuates.
Employers need to ensure that they’re capturing data from their employees about wellbeing so that they can put appropriate mechanisms in place to ensure that all staff have the means to perform in their career.
Budgets are finite for many, so employers need to ensure they’re investing in the right places.
I think investment has certainly increased over the years.
How has your organisation been leading the way?
We’re a small but mighty team. The women’s health guidance that we offer to employers we make use of ourselves.
At Wellbeing of Women we are in the privileged position of understanding the women’s health landscape, knowing what women need (both in and out of work), and have the tenacity and capability to advocate for change.
Mel is running a workshop in Manchester as part of our Wellbeing at Work Summit UK 2026 which takes place in London and Manchester this September. Click the links below to find out more and book your tickets:
London Summit 15th September: Find out more and Book Your London Tickets Here
Manchester Summit 17th September: Find out more and Book Your Manchester Tickets Here
