We are calling for businesses to make a commitment to women’s health in their workplace by fostering open communication, creating policies, and enabling a supportive environment so women feel able to speak up about the health issues that are affecting them.
We asked women what they would or wouldn’t feel comfortable speaking to their boss about and gynaecological health issues came top of the list of conversations they would avoid– from periods through to menopause. Nearly 1 in 3 were uncomfortable talking to their boss about cervical screening, if they experienced miscarriage or if they were dealing with symptoms of the perimenopause or menopause. GP, Dr Aziza Sesay wants to see the taboo around gynae health reduced in the workplace, she says: “Sadly, topics surrounding women’s gynaecological health are still considered taboo. The shame and embarrassment around the topic needs to be obliterated and it begins with having open and frank conversations and normalising these discussions.”
Out of the women surveyed, most were more comfortable talking about a cancer diagnosis, with 8 out of 10 saying they would be happy to speak to their boss if they had been diagnosed, and 9 out of 10 would feel comfortable talking to their boss about any childcare issues. Eve, CEO, Athena, wants to see more being done to support women at work so that they don’t have to hide if they are having issues with their health, she says: “Our findings shed light on the pressing need for a shift in the workplace culture and policies to be implemented so that women feel comfortable discussing essential health matters without fear of repercussions or judgement.”
When it came to needing to take time off because of a gynae health issue, 1 in 3 said they would prefer to say they had a tummy bug and nearly 1 in 4 would go as far as taking annual leave to avoid disclosing the real reason they were unable to work.
We asked the women how much having a supportive work environment around their health meant to them, and we found that they don’t just look at pay when accepting a job role. The survey showed a strong desire for supportive policies related to women’s health in the workplace with half of the women expressing that their employer having a Wellness or Health policy in place that directly impacted them was very important, with only 3% thinking it was not important at all.
Nearly 2 in every 3 women said they would be more likely to stay in their current role if their employer put in place some women’s health policies. 3 in 4 women said they were more likely to take a role at a business with female-centred health policies in place.
The average cost of recruiting an employee in the UK is £3,000*, so keeping staff saves money and is good for business. Sarah Morris who is Head of People at Bain Capital, knows just how vital it is for women to be supported at every stage of their career, she says: “There are huge inequalities to address, and support for health through different career and life stages is one thing that we can fix. This research from Eve shows that health is a critical factor for both retention and recruitment – with the race for talent that we have has as employers – that means a supportive workplace when it comes to health information, awareness and open conversations, is a game changer.”
To help businesses make a positive impact on the health of their colleagues, we have a workplace programme called the Every Woman Promise. This initiative is focused on improving the health of women at work by creating a positive working environment and removing the stigma around gynae health issues. We can help businesses implement policies and provide educational resources and talks that empower both employees and managers.
Find out more about our Every Woman Promise
* Recruitment agencies typically charge around £3,000 per new employee, which they base on a fee of 20-30% of the average salary of an employee. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the mean national average salary in 2021 was £38,131 for a full-time employee and £13,549 for a part-time role