WOMEN’S
HOW TO CREATE A FEMALE FRIEN
Women’s health in the work place has historically been considered a taboo topic. W understanding a recent study commission by SimplyHealth highlights that from a po comfortable discussing topics such as menstrual cramps, smear tests, breast exam You may be thinking, why does this pose a problem for us as a business or on a wider scale the economy? Well, a house of commons briefing paper; Women and the UK economy states in the UK, 15.52 million women aged 16+ were in employment in October to December 2021, according to the ONS UK Labour Market bulletin. This equates to almost 50% of the entire employed population. This means potentially 30% of the entire UK employed population do not feel comfortable speaking to their employer regarding their health issues. The knock-on effect is likely an increased risk of absenteeism and presenteeism, both of which can and do negatively impact the business performance.
impact performance in different ways and learning how to create an accommodating environment where people of all genders can flourish whilst also keeping focus on our commercial goals.” There are a range of things employers can do to help female staff feel comfortable discussing their health. Educate yourself – there is a vast range of information available online covering different women’s health topics. Following on from their study Simplyhealth have provided a great online guide; https://www.simplyhealth.co.uk/ healthy-living/womens-health
With all of the advo management team and 40% of the director team being female we hope, and strive to ensure we are promoting an open and comfortable environment where everyone regardless of gender feels comfortable discussing health topics with their line manager. Nadiya Gregory, who heads up advo’s Business Development team, commented “Being a member of, and also managing a 100% female based team, means I am regularly navigating matters of women’s health in the work place. The most important tool for me is understanding how women’s health can
SOME OF THE ADVO MA
advocate summer 2022 | 21
