Research shows women often leave careers for health and family reasons
"Women's health has been a topic not always spoken about, not always researched, not always at the table and workplace conversation," according to senior executive Helena Pagano.
She is determined to change that.
As executive vice president and chief people and culture officer at Sun Life Financial, Pagano has been leading efforts to raise awareness of women’s health issues, the impact it has on careers and what support women really need.
Managing health concerns can be a major issue for women in the workforce, according to Sun Life research.
The study of 1400 employed Canadian women revealed some women were leaving the workforce at the height of their careers, turning down promotions, cutting back their hours or accepting lower pay to manage menopause symptoms or balance caregiving responsibilities.
The research also found four in 10 working women said they’ve made career-limiting decisions to care for their family or for health-related concerns.
Pagano says Sun Life data indicated one in 10 women could have been leaving the workforce because of menopause related symptoms and that supporting women can help reduce economic and productivity losses from staff turnover.
“We've also seen women leaving the workforce when they are at child caring stages, and that [has] real economic impact,” she says. “If we can do more to support women in the workforce, you solve workforce issues and economic issues just by helping people thrive.”
At Sun Life this has meant encouraging conversations to reduce stigma around women’s health issues and setting up employee resource groups.
The company offers care days for all staff to help balance the demands of work and family.
“One that we see has been very important to the support of women and then women's health is just hybrid work,” says Pagano.
The ability to work from home or off-camera can help employees managing conditions like endometriosis, menopause symptoms or other health challenges.
Pagano ties this flexibility to overall well-being and performance; hybrid work has become more than a convenience — it’s a strategic part of employee support.
“There's a well-being that comes from being able to focus on heads down work that is better done quietly, at home or away from the workplace,” she says.
The focus on supporting staff comes at a time of international volatility creating uncertainty for many workers, something Pagano recognises.
“With the rise of social issues, we've seen a rise of anger, and now we see a rise of fear,” she says.
As well as women’s health, Sun Life is also looking at how to create career opportunities as well.
The business tracks career advancement and actively moves talent to create opportunities, ensuring women get the necessary experiences, mentorship and guidance to succeed.
Pagano stresses the link between career success and health outcomes. Without financial strain, employees’ mental and physical health improve.
"You need good intentionality around the experiences that employees need in terms of advancing their career," Pagano says. "Career success is greatly aligned to financial well-being, which brings with it some reduction of mental stress.”
Pagano emphasizes that people want to work somewhere that resonates with their values, especially when the world feels unpredictable.
“Focus on how you make sure your purpose brings meaning to the work that people are doing every day,” she says. “We pride ourselves on having a culture that is underpinned by care. You'll attract better talent when you have that kind of value proposition.”
Data is central to understanding whether the initiatives are working. Sun Life measures career movement, employee satisfaction and internal pipeline strength to ensure programs are working.
“We look at employee surveys at least four times a year to understand how our people are doing,” she explains.
“At a time like this more than ever, you need to be guided by purpose.”
