Although health and well-being are important considerations for leaders, Lesley Cooper says that women’s issues of health often do not receive the support they deserve due to misperceptions and policy gaps that fail to acknowledge them.
Leaders must fill the gaps in wellness frameworks to maximise employee engagement, wellbeing and productivity. These gaps are due to the fact that they do not take into account hormonal and gynaecological conditions, which will affect many women during their working life and have a negative impact on their work experience.
Three tips to help leaders re-calibrate their wellbeing strategy and shift their perspective to support and protect female employees.
1. Do not use a “one-size-fits-all” framework for wellbeing
The traditional wellbeing policy often has a universalised view of health that promotes rigid notions of what is meant by being healthy or ill. Our perceptions about health have been rooted in centuries-old thinking, so it’s important to constantly update our understanding of wellness and health.
EndometriosisUK in 2020 conducted a study that found that HR departments penalized those with endometriosis because of its cyclical nature. The policy was that shorter and more frequent absences are more harmful to businesses than longer, less frequent ones. Other conditions affecting women, such as PCOS or severe period symptoms, would also be penalised.
These policy gaps are the reason why women are unfairly penalised when they miss work and stifle support for women’s wellbeing at work. If the policies do not reflect the diversity in the workplace, then women may feel less comfortable being honest and suffering in silence. This can compromise their productivity and well-being.
It is important to broaden the definition of sick leave in order to include a wider range of illnesses. This will create a framework for wellbeing that supports women’s health, and eliminates feelings of shame or guilt.
2. Challenge your biases
A lack of knowledge and taboo surrounding female health have led to a widespread lack of understanding. Endometriosis is one chronic pain condition that has symptoms beyond painful cramps during menstruation and infertility struggles. Chronic pelvic and back pain, stomach problems and intestine or urinary issues all are symptoms that are not often discussed despite being common and difficult for sufferers.
In the Endometriosis UK study, 55 percent of respondents had to take time off from work frequently or very often due to symptoms. The survey found that a staggering 38 percent of respondents felt restricted in their work, while 38 percent were worried about losing their jobs.
Leadership teams are the first to implement systemic change. It is therefore important that leaders educate themselves in order to better understand these conditions, their nature and potential impact on work and wellbeing. A greater understanding of women’s health issues will prevent their pain from being minimized and eliminate any feelings of embarrassment.
3. Support should be clearly visible and accessible
Leaders and managers are often under pressure to be able solve any problem. This can be especially difficult when having personal conversations. Recognizing that it’s okay not to have all the answers can help to avoid awkward conversations or embarrassing situations.
Leaders should be available to listen and show empathy and curiosity so that employees know that the management is concerned about their problems and wants to help. It is crucial to provide the right support, be it a counselor or a health care provider, and make that support readily accessible.
Employees are less likely to seek out support if it is difficult to get to. It is important to make it easy for those who need help to get in touch.
To support women’s wellbeing in the workplace, leaders need to be educated about their own beliefs and misconceptions to provide the best support. It is important to reframe the way we think about health in order to make women feel safe at work.
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Lesley Cooper, Founder and CEO at WorkingWell.
