frendo@work

⏰️ New research shows that over 80% of employees are advocating for menstruation-friendly policies in the workplace. This highlights a growing need for workplace adjustments to better support employees' health needs which in turn improves employee wellbeing and overall team productivity. The key findings from Henpicked and FitrWoman also showed: 💥81% of employees want menstrual products available in restrooms. 💥77% support paid menstrual leave. 💥75% believe in the importance of education and training on menstrual health. It's important to note that conditions like endometriosis, which isn't just a period disease, can cause heavy bleeding and worsening symptoms during menstruation. Implementing these policies can: ▶️Foster a more inclusive and supportive work environment. ▶️Break the stigma around menstrual health ▶️ Reduce presenteeism ▶️Enhance overall employee wellbeing and productivity. Read the full article on FemTech World -- #WomensHealth #WorkplaceWellness #HealthEquity #InclusiveWorkspaces #HRbenefits #Staffbenefits #Employeebenefitspackage #Womenintheworkplace #Talentacquisition

📊 According to the TUC, the gender pay gap has been closing at a sluggish rate of just 0.4 percentage points per year since 2011. At this current pace, we won't achieve true pay equality until 2044. This stark statistic is a call to action for all of us to accelerate progress towards gender pay equity. 💼 The implications of this disparity extend far beyond the paycheck. The gender pay gap, currently at 14.3%, means the average woman must work 52 days (nearly two months) before she starts getting paid in comparison to the average man. For women aged between 50 and 59, the pay gap is even more pronounced at 19.7%, equating to 72 days of unpaid work. Disabled women face the highest pay gap at 35% compared to non-disabled men, translating to a loss of £7,144 a year. 📉 The pay gap also varies significantly by sector. The finance and insurance sector has the highest pay gap at 27.9%. Even in female-dominated sectors like education, the pay gap remains high at 21.3%. 🩺 The persistent pay gap undermines efforts to create a truly equitable workplace and has severe health implications. Financial disparities contribute to stress, reduced access to healthcare, and poorer overall health outcomes for women. When women are underpaid, they are less able to invest in their health and well-being, leading to long-term consequences for both individuals and organizations. Health equity means ensuring that all employees, regardless of gender, have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. 🚀 Let's not wait until 2044 to close the gap, the time to act is now. #GenderPayGap #HealthEquity #WorkplaceWellbeing #EqualityForAll #WomenInWork #FairPay #InclusiveWorkplace

We were delighted to have Dearbhail Ormond from frendo join our Women's Health Innovation panel to discuss endometriosis. If you'd like to watch the full video you can sign up to become a member of the EAI via our website and send us a request to [email protected] 📩 #endocon24 #endoireland #endometriosisawarenessmonth #endo #eai

🚨 New Insights from the CFA Institute's Global Graduate Outlook Survey: Women's Professional Concerns 🚨 The latest data from the CFA Institute's Global Graduate Outlook Survey has highlighted some critical concerns facing women in the workforce. The survey reveals that the top three professional worries among women are: Lack of Jobs (16%): Women are increasingly worried about the availability of job opportunities in their preferred sectors. Low Pay (14%): The gender pay gap remains a significant issue, with many women feeling that their compensation does not reflect their qualifications and contributions. Feeling Underqualified (11%): Despite their education and skills, a notable number of women feel they lack the necessary qualifications to succeed in their desired fields. What’s even more concerning is the confidence gap in understanding employer expectations. The survey found that 29% of female respondents admitted they were not confident in knowing what employers are looking for, compared to 22% of men. This lack of confidence can hinder women's ability to effectively navigate their career paths and secure the roles they aspire to. These insights call for immediate action from both employers and educational institutions to address these disparities such as: 🔹 Equitable Hiring Practices: Employers must ensure their hiring practices are fair and transparent, actively working to eliminate biases that could disadvantage women candidates. 🔹 Closing the Pay Gap: Organizations need to conduct regular pay audits and commit to equitable compensation practices to ensure women are paid fairly for their work. 🔹 Confidence Building Programs: Implementing initiatives that boost women’s confidence in their professional skills and knowledge can help bridge the confidence gap identified in the survey. #GenderEquality #WomenInTheWorkforce #CareerDevelopment #InclusiveWorkplace #ProfessionalGrowth #GenderPayGap #EqualOpportunities #PayEquity

🔔 GOOD NEWS ALERT 🔔 Sometimes it is difficult to say positive in the endometriosis space when it comes to treatments and research progress, it feels often like we are moving at a 🐌 pace when we are trying day in and day out to manage our illnesses. But there is reason to celebrate this week, as across in the US the first project from the government-mandated spending on endometriosis research in the country, was launched! Led by The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in collaboration with UConn Health, this initiative aims to collect and analyze tissue samples to advance research, improve diagnosis, and develop better treatments for endometriosis. These samples are to be collected from the roughly 150 endometriosis surgeries conducted annually at the hospital. Researchers will also sample blood, urine, and fluid that lubricates the membranous lining of the pelvic cavity and organs in both patients and controls, to study the impact of the disease across the body and identify new biomarkers. Although as always, we are reminded of why the gender health gap is so large, as " U.S. investment in endometriosis research has risen from $13 million in 2019, spending by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was $29 million in 2023, or 0.06% of the $47 billion agency’s budget. That’s in contrast with the $1.2 billion NIH spent last year on diabetes, which has a roughly similar prevalence in women, and $305 million it spent on prostate cancer, which affects 2.4% of U.S. men and kills about one in 44 of those diagnosed" Read more about it in Meredith Wadman's piece for Science.org (linked below in comments) #EndometriosisResearch #HealthEquity #WomensHealthResearch #EndometriosisAwareness

💭 Have you heard of wellbeing washing? 💭 In a recent article from AllBright, Chris Raven describes it as "when businesses “talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk” when it comes to mental health and other wellbeing policies". Examples may be:  🕒️ Shouting about awareness days but offering inflexible workplace policies  🕒️ Talking about gender equality but failing to support women with caregiving responsibilities  🕒️ Offering free fruit / healthy snacks but not encouraging employees to take a full lunch break away from their desks 🕒️ Access to wellbeing services but workloads are overstuffed with no time to use them Have you had experiences of wellbeing washing? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below This topic reminded us a lot of Molly Johnson-Jones Jones and her endeavors over at Flexa - they are out here checking who is really walking the walk on policies like flexible working and caregiving duties! https://lnkd.in/ekciCkRa

❌️ Over a quarter of women, including those battling conditions like endometriosis, feel pressured or shamed to return to work early after illness. ❌️ 1 in 5 women feel their workplace is unsupportive of their chronic health condition ❌️ More than half of women who experienced health-based discrimination at work, felt unable to report it ❌️ 27% of women feel their employer is not willing to make allowances for staff with chronic health conditions That doesn't sound like workplace gender equality to us... -- *Statistics from our 2024 commissioned survey of 1250 working women, created to gather insights into the experiences of women in the workplace, including those who experience chronic health conditions such as endometriosis. #WomensHealth #WorkplaceWellness #HealthEquity #InclusiveWorkspaces #HRbenefits #Staffbenefits #Employeebenefitspackage #Womenintheworkplace #Talentacquisition

🔍 Are you always saying you're fine when your colleague or manager asks, despite having a weekly cry and a pit in your stomach? Well, you certainly aren't alone. Alyssa Jaffer writes for AllBright on why women in the workplace are reluctant to talk about mental health. The short answer is: STIGMA❗ The Fawcett Society and Benenden Health 2024 research showed that 42% of women have heard derogatory comments about a female employee’s health in the workplace. This alarming statistic highlights the pervasive issue of stigma surrounding women's mental health. Such stigma not only discourages open conversations but also perpetuates a culture of silence and shame. In an environment where mental health struggles are belittled or dismissed, women feel compelled to hide their pain, fearing judgment or negative career consequences. This leads to an ongoing cycle where mental health remains unaddressed, causing further emotional and psychological distress. So whether it's mental or physical, we know that workplace culture around health needs to change! One of Jaffer's key takeaways in this article is prevention is better than cure - and we couldn't agree more. Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/euk3R9AM #workplacewellness #mentalhealthatwork #womenshealth #genderequality

Sometimes, we can be our own toughest critics😪 Living with endometriosis is an ongoing battle that extends beyond physical discomfort. It can deeply impact our professional lives, leading to moments of self-doubt and questioning our abilities. Do you ever wake up in the morning, feeling the weight of your condition, and wonder if you can give your best at work? Do the persistent symptoms make you feel like you're not as capable or efficient as you want to be? It's not uncommon to worry about how your colleagues and supervisors perceive you when you’re not at your peak performance due to the pain and fatigue that endometriosis brings. These negative feelings can be incredibly challenging and isolating to manage on your own. That's where frendo@work steps in. We're dedicated to fostering open conversations about chronic illness in the workplace. Our goal is to create supportive and understanding work environments where everyone can thrive, regardless of their health challenges. #EndometriosisAwareness #ChronicIllness #WorkplaceWellness #MentalHealth #EmployeeWellbeing #InclusiveWorkplace #EmployeeBenefits

As Kathleen M King told us in a recent interview, part of the difficulty of living with endometriosis and trying to build a career too, is the unpredictability. This condition can disrupt even the best-laid plans. balancing a demanding job while dealing with chronic pain and fatigue and never knowing when symptoms might flare up is a recipe for anxiety - especially when you have to navigate it alone. As we talk to more and more endometriosis sufferers at work, we are told time and again that brilliant managers are what make their work lives easier, being open and honest about needs, flares, and breaks are essential to preserve everyone's time and productivity. How do you accommodate flexibility your workplace? [text on image reads: “The constant threat of unpredictable flare-ups can create anxiety and stress for employees with endometriosis. They may worry about being seen as unreliable or not dedicated to their work due to their absences, which can negatively impact their overall morale and job satisfaction.” - Kathleen King, medical scientist and endometriosis advocate] #WomensHealth #WorkplaceWellness #HealthEquity #InclusiveWorkspaces #HRbenefits #Staffbenefits #Employeebenefitspackage #Womenintheworkplace #Talentacquisition