Health Issues Impacting Women in the Workforce
BY NAOMI SEDDON
My twin girls, Savannah and Adaline, are about to turn 4 in a few weeks so it is a time of reflection for me, when I think back to what was an incredibly painful period in my life, as we were trying to create our family.
I am a partner in my law firm so, at the time, like many women who experience fertility issues, I was trying to keep up with a busy work schedule while also managing doctor’s appointments, blood tests, medications, injections, and hospital visits.
Pushing Through
In the space of approximately 2 years, I suffered four pregnancy losses, completed three rounds of IVF, had over 100 tests, and 9 surgeries, including a hysterectomy. I was absolutely drained, yet I continued to push on. Throughout the entire journey I did not even take one single day away from work. Even when I was in the hospital or at home on bed rest, I would still push through, keep responding to client emails, and do everything that I could to keep my clients happy, and ensure that their needs were met before worrying about my own.
I suffer from endometriosis, a disease that I discovered that I had when I was about 22. I have also since discovered that I suffer from two blood conditions as well, Von Willebrands disease and clotting factor IV deficiency, which is ultimately why the doctor’s believe that I wasn’t able to carry a baby to term.
Leading by Example
During the months of treatments, surgeries, and heartbreak, as I continued to push through I inadvertently set a precedent — an expectation for myself and those around me. What I had not realized at the time was as a female leader I was setting an example. I was sending a message that I am now not proud of — an expectation that if I can push through, continue to show up, and perform for my clients then others should be able to do so too.
I am here to tell you that I was wrong and it is ignorant to think that anyone could go through the things that I did and not have it affect you in some way. Even putting aside the psychological aspects, my body went through a lot and there were times when the wounds from a surgery had barely even begun to heal when into hospital I would have to go again.
My journey ended in happiness, as I now have two beautiful daughters that we were lucky enough to have had via surrogacy. I am so thankful for them every day and they are my greatest achievement because the journey to become their mother was such a difficult one. However, one of the things that I realized along the way is that there is so much stigma attached to women’s health issues, generally, but when we talk about women and the workplace the situation is even worse.
I admire women like Sheryl Sandberg, Arianna Huffington, Michelle Obama, and Michelle King. These are women who are telling us to step up, lean in, and negotiate for ourselves more like men, but here’s the thing — we are actually not like men. We are very, very different and, whether we like it or not, there are many things that women go through that affect our lives and experiences at work in a different way.
It is estimated that between 11 and 17% of women globally suffer fertility issues and this figure is rising. Researchers believe that almost 11% of women in the United States suffer from endometriosis and, as the disease is still largely misunderstood, it is often misdiagnosed so the figure could even be higher. 1 in 4 women suffer pregnancy loss and almost every woman will go through menopause and suffer from some medical issues or symptoms as a result. These are just a few of the health issues that women experience, all of which can have a significant impact on a woman and her ability to succeed at work.
Our Concept of Dedication and Commitment is Flawed
Society has dictated that to succeed at work we need to work hard, and demonstrate dedication and commitment. The issue is that our concept of hard work, dedication, and commitment is flawed and showing any perceived “weakness” poses a terrible threat, especially for women.
Research has shown that there is a direct link between productivity and wellness. What this means in the workplace context is, basically, if you look after your people (which by the way are a company’s greatest asset!), your people will look after you. Employees are a lot more willing to commit to an employer when they feel genuinely cared about, listened to, and supported.
There is evidence to show that by implementing policies and benefits programs to assist women with these types of issues not only leads to increased productivity but can reduce costs in other areas through reduced turnover, decreased recruitment, and healthcare costs.
Small changes such as implementing flexible work arrangements and empowering women to find a more flexible way of working can make a huge difference to a woman who is suffering from endometriosis, going through assisted reproduction, or menopause. So why does there remain such stigma attached to female health issues especially in the workplace context?
In my role as an employment attorney, I have seen so many companies with policies asking their employees to “bring their whole selves to work,” to “be authentic.” I find these policies frustrating because it is often these same companies who will find a way to “move someone on” if they start taking too much time off work or letting their employer know that they are dealing with some difficult issues. Suddenly, those employees are “just not dedicated enough,” “too distracted” or “no longer focused on work.” I must admit therefore that I am never really sure exactly what the intent of these types of policy statements is meant to be.
Career Challenges Women Face
As women, we are faced with a number of career challenges. In fact, through COVID, the situation has worsened with the numbers of women in the workforce declining and a reduction in the number of women in leadership roles and on boards. It is therefore understandable that there will be women who, like me, will not want to demonstrate “weakness” in the workplace by raising their health issues.
I was absolutely one of those women. I had worked so hard to get to the position that I was in and was terrified that if I took one day off to allow my body and mind the time it needed to heal that I would be viewed as weak or unreliable by my colleagues and clients. The reality is that had I not allowed myself to worry about what others around me might think, I could have been more productive, have produced better quality work and, most importantly, I would have been a lot healthier, happier, and less resentful than I ended up had I taken the time to grieve and heal.
As women leaders, we need to be setting a better example for other women around our health and stop setting the bad precedent that says that if we take the time to stop and heal that we are somehow demonstrating weakness and unreliability. As entrepreneurs, we need to set better examples for our clients and set the standard that showing our human vulnerability is OK, that we will absolutely get the job done… that we care about our client but that we also need to look after ourselves as well so that we can give our best in the service that we provide.
And as employers we need to do a lot more to support women in the workplace and stop thinking about these issues as “personal issues” that have no place in the workplace. If we want to move closer to achieving workplace equality, move more women into management roles and appoint more women to boards, then we need to start thinking of ways that we can assist women to grow, develop, and achieve success at work.
There are improvements that every employer can make to provide women at work with additional support and resources to eliminate some of the stress associated with female health issues. Providing flexibility, paid leave for early pregnancy loss or financial assistance for IVF, surrogacy or adoption are just a few examples of workplace benefits that can significantly impact a woman’s experience at work and increase her chance of success. And, it actually makes business sense!
ABOUT NAOMI SEDDON
Naomi Seddon is an international lawyer at Littler Mendelson, a Non-Executive Director of Megaport Ltd. and Surrogacy Australia and an author, advocate and presenter on women’s health issues and the workplace.
Naomi has assisted more than 400 companies to expand their businesses globally, and has expertise assisting companies to implement global policies and benefits programs.
Naomi is currently writing a book on women’s health issues and the workplace. Her hope is that by sharing her story, it will assist companies to start discussions within their workplaces to ultimately improve opportunities and support for women at work so that everyone has more of an equal opportunity to succeed.
You can follow Naomi on LinkedIn on Instagram @milkandmargaritas or at nseddon@littler.com.