PMH at Work Case Study: Manchester Metropolitan University
Who are we?
Home to over 44,000 students, 5,000 employees and a global alumni community of 350,000 across more than 170 countries, Manchester Metropolitan is one of the UK’s largest and most diverse universities.
Our campus offers state-of-the-art facilities and innovative teaching, combined with outstanding research and award-winning degree apprenticeships that help students thrive in their careers. Manchester Met has a long history of driving innovation and progress and through excellent education and research, aims to make a difference and transform how people live.
What matters to us?
Manchester Metropolitan University takes pride in its vibrant and diverse community of employees, students, and external partners. We are dedicated to fostering an intentionally inclusive culture of belonging - one that champions equality and actively celebrates diversity. Our People and Organisational Development (HR), Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and Wellbeing teams work collaboratively to continually review and evolve our policies and support systems, ensuring they meet the changing needs of our workforce.
“At Manchester Met University, we want to be as supportive and inclusive to all colleagues no matter the challenges they face throughout their life. Our ‘Great Place to Work’ and ‘Inclusive and Diverse Culture’ strategies facilitate this approach.
We pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking organisation that works collaboratively with our people to ensure we provide the correct support and guidance for those who need it the most.
Recently, this has included enhancements to our family friendly policies and guidance in collaboration with our working parents and carers staff network and subject matter experts from our academy, to improve the wellbeing support and guidance for colleagues within the perinatal period. We are pleased to showcase this work and will continue to drive it forward informed by the voice of those with lived experience.”
What are we doing differently?
Manchester Met is leading the sector in recognising and addressing the critical issue of perinatal mental health. The University is actively raising awareness, adapting key policies, and equipping line managers with the tools and resources they need to provide meaningful support. We also offer generous family-friendly provisions and comprehensive support across a range of related areas, including complex fertility journeys, pregnancy and baby loss, and neonatal care experiences.
These actions are the result of collaborative efforts across the University, involving professional services, staff networks, and academics with relevant research expertise. Wherever possible, new policies and guidance are shaped by the voices of those with lived experience, ensuring that support is both informed and compassionate.
Our Commitment to Perinatal Mental Health and Reproductive Wellbeing
Manchester Met has taken significant steps to raise awareness and provide practical support for staff experiencing perinatal mental health challenges and other related experiences.
Recent actions include:
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We’ve spotlighted perinatal mental health at high-profile events such as International Women’s Day (2024 and 2025) and Menopause Awareness Week (2024), ensuring these vital conversations reach wide audiences.
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Led by the ‘Working Parents and Carers Staff Network’, we have actively promoted Baby Loss Awareness Week through features on the main staff intranet and dedicated information and awareness sessions.
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Topics such as perinatal mental health, baby loss, and fertility challenges are regularly discussed in staff networks, including the ‘Working Parents and Carers’ and ‘Gender Staff Networks’.
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We have increased rates of pay for Maternity, Paternity, Shared Parental, Adoption, and Neonatal Care Leave to better support staff at all stages of family life.
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Staff now have access to paid leave and supportive guidance for pregnancy loss and fertility treatments. This includes tailored resources for line managers to respond with empathy and understanding.
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We proudly signed The Miscarriage Association’s Pregnancy Loss Pledge, reinforcing our commitment to creating a supportive and informed workplace for colleagues affected by miscarriage or loss.
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In line with the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023, we developed manager guidance to ensure support for affected staff extends beyond statutory requirements.
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We’ve embedded specific references to perinatal mental health in key HR policies, including the Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared Parental Leave, and Pregnancy Loss Policies.
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We developed dedicated guidance for managers on perinatal mental health and are reviewing pregnancy and maternity risk assessments to ensure mental health is explicitly considered.
What difference are we making?
The positive effects of Manchester Met’s Great Place to Work Strategy and Inclusive and Diverse Culture Strategy are clearly reflected in staff feedback from the 2023/24 annual Employee Voice Survey:
80% of colleagues agree that the University is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - a significant increase from 74% in 2022.
79% report feeling respected at work and that they are treated fairly (up from 74% in 2022).
70% say they feel a strong sense of community — a notable rise from 61% the previous year.
In addition, the University’s Gender Pay Gap stands at 7.5%, well below the sector average of 14%, reflecting ongoing efforts to address structural inequality. Qualitative feedback gathered during awareness-raising sessions also highlights the value of the University’s approach, with colleagues expressing appreciation for the explicit recognition of perinatal mental health and the clear signposting to support services.
“The involvement of the Network in changes to policy, creation of new guidance, and highlighting sensitive topics is a real privilege. Being able to raise such issues and be supported in taking ideas forward to help all staff, shows how important staff networks are to an organisation.
I am proud of the changes that Manchester Met has introduced around pregnancy and baby loss and other associated topics. These are very difficult and emotive situations, and it is hoped that the creation of new guidance enables all staff – including partners – to feel supported.
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Pam is the Chief People Officer at Manchester Metropolitan University, driving the University’s mission to transform lives through an exceptional student experience and impactful research.
With a strong track record in organisational change, Pam has designed and implemented structural change, new operating models and achieved significant improvements in employee engagement and talent development.
Currently, Pam chairs the Northwest Universities HR (UHR) group and is a member of the UHR Executive Group. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and an Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) accredited Coach and Mentor.