Only 37% of women said their employer provided
adequate women's health resources and support
TORONTO, June 26,
2024 /CNW/ - Women are essential to the Canadian
economy and make up close to half of Canada's workforce. However, a recent report
by Sun Life shows 60% of working women said health issues around
menstruation, menopause and reproductive health could affect their
career advancement abilities. Without the proper health support
some women feel the need to step back, step down and step away from
their careers.
The report highlights the profound impact the gender health gap
continues to have on working women and the barriers they face:
- Four in 10 working women said they've made career-limiting
decisions for health-related concerns or to care for their
family.
- 10% of working women said they've left their job or were
planning to because of menopausal symptoms.
- Over 40% of disability claims for women are for mental
disorders, versus 30% for men. Reasons include the stress of
reproductive health issues.
- 29% of working women felt the need to lie to their managers
about why they were taking sick days for women's health
issues.
"While we've seen progress breaking through the glass ceiling,
support for women's health issues continues to lack. We need more
awareness and open dialogue. Talking about women's health should be
as comfortable as discussing back pain," said Marie-Chantal Côté,
Senior Vice-President, Group Benefits, Sun Life. "The gender health
gap affects not only women but their workplaces and society at
large. Prioritizing women's health should be table stakes."
A layer of the glass ceiling employers can help break
Being proactive and supportive of women's health is crucial for
employers. This can help retain talent, increase productivity, and
decrease costs related to absences and leaves. However, just 37% of
women said their employer provided adequate resources and support
for their health needs. Additionally, only 42% of working women
said there was an open culture for talking about women's health at
work.
Employers can better support women by removing the stigma and
creating an inclusive work environment for discussing women's
health. Providing the right tools and resources that address
women's health challenges is also key. This includes benefits like
contraceptives, mental health support, physiotherapists and pelvic
floor specialists, fertility procedures and hormone therapy. For
employers that do offer tools and resources to support women's
health, ensuring employees are aware of what's already available
can make a profound difference.
"We started hosting employee awareness sessions about women's
health and the response has been tremendous. What I hear from
everyone, including men, is how illuminating it is to learn about
the challenges the women in their lives face," said Helena Pagano, Executive Vice-President, Chief
People and Culture Officer, Sun Life. "We firmly believe in
supporting women's health at Sun Life. Workplaces play a vital
role, from offering inclusive benefits to mental health support to
hybrid work environments. Supporting people in all of life's
moments empowers them to thrive. The gender health gap is a
solvable problem that benefits everyone."
Sun Life is making women's health a priority. We're investing in
our people, our products, and communities to help change the
narrative. This includes partnering with the Menopause Foundation
of Canada to raise awareness and
reduce the stigma around women's health. Learn more on how we're
doing this.
About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services
organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and
health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life
has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including
Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong
Kong, the Philippines,
Japan, Indonesia, India, China,
Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March
31, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of
$1.47 trillion. For more information,
please visit www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New
York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
Note to editors: All figures in Canadian
dollars
Media Relations Contact:
Megan Hawkins
Manager, Corporate Communications
megan.hawkins@sunlife.com
647-524-8536
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada