Organon Canada encourages businesses to Invest in HER and help address gender inequities through women's health
Employers that support their female employees so they feel empowered at every stage of their careers will help them reach their full potential. Research shows these employers to be more profitable, productive, and innovative and they financially outperform their peers and competitors.
Organon Canada, a subsidiary of Organon, a global healthcare company with a focus on women's health, has launched HER Professional Journey and is encouraging businesses in Canada to Invest in HER and address the unique health experiences that women face, including in the workplace, so that women can feel supported and empowered at every stage of their career.
HER Professional Journey is specifically designed to cultivate a workplace that supports women's career progression which can often be impacted by life events, such as menstruation, family planning, pregnancy loss, fertility, maternity, and menopause.
The unique set of barriers that women face
Women continue to face a unique set of barriers in the workplace due to life events that may limit their progression, curb their potential, and even cause some to leave the workforce entirely. Statistics from the Menopause Foundation of Canada estimate that one in 10 women may drop out of the workforce due to unmanaged menopause related symptoms. Furthermore, a 2022 survey of more than 2,200 Albertan women highlighted that 50 to 90 percent of women with endometriosis, painful periods, pelvic floor issues, perimenopause, and menopause reported significant work and career impact.
Organon Canada believes employers have an important role to play in addressing these issues head-on and foster a future where women are empowered to make career decisions that are best for them, while supporting all employees to reach their full potential. HER Professional Journey is an initiative designed to overcome these challenges while empowering all employees to navigate their career paths confidently.
The program goes beyond internal resources and represents a transformative shift in most company's corporate cultures. All employees, including men, are critical to the success of this program, as it's the collective effort that will make the difference, says Organon Canada.
“There are a number of qualitative and quantitative metrics that organizations should be actively collecting and monitoring to assess their support for women in their workforce, including internal pulse surveys, measuring gender representation at every level of their organization (especially C-suite), pay equity statistics, and providing anonymized feedback mechanisms,” says Litsa Spiridonakos, human resources director, Organon Canada, and co-sponsor of Organon Canada HER ERG.
“Organizations should be examining on an ongoing basis their hiring practices, promotion procedures, and compensation strategies to ensure they are free from biases and that they have the proper infrastructure and governance in place to support women to progress in their careers.”
Organon Canada says cultivating male allyship at all levels of the organization is also key in elevating the voices of women and advocating for change.
“What is equally as important is securing the active participation of employees across the business to foster an inclusive culture and share what is working at a grass-roots level. For example at Organon, the recently launched HER Professional Journey was developed, piloted, and launched by an Employee Resource Group (ERG) – with involvement from employees across our organization. The goal of this program is to help our employees thrive, by specifically focusing on challenges both professional and personal that mostly impact women.”
Adding trillions to the global economy
Organon Canada believes that investing in women's careers the right thing to do and it is also good for business. A 2018 study from the World Bank estimated that eliminating gender inequality in the workplace would add $160.2 trillion to the global economy. Additionally, organizations with more balanced representation have been shown to be more profitable, productive and innovative – with companies in the top quartile for gender diversity being 39 percent more likely to financially outperform their peers and competitors.
Organon Canada is also continuing to invest in a range of programs and grants that increase awareness of women's health to help close persistent care gaps in Canada. To support this work, the company is establishing new dedicated funding for unrestricted and independent grants that will focus on menopause education for healthcare professionals in Canada.
Organon Canada encourages other organizations to join in the movement and Invest In HER, so that women are supported throughout their career journeys.
Spiridonakos says employers should provide a range of holistic supports and policies to employees throughout their entire career journey. “This should include benefits tailored to address the specific health and life moments that impact women, from pregnancy to caregiving, to menopause and everything in between. Additionally, dismantling unconscious biases, such as the 'broken rung' – where women face barriers to advancement at the entry level – is crucial to achieving an equitable workplace.
“At Organon, we have found that creating a safe environment where employees feel empowered to be open about what will work for them has been key, whether it’s taking advantage of flexible work arrangements, our enhanced family building and childcare benefits, menopause support, or participating in our mentorship programs. These, along with initiatives to mitigate unconscious biases are examples of support that can empower women and foster an inclusive workplace culture for all employees.”
