Women’s health and work: Unlocking a more resilient workplace

Why women's health matters

"We know without a doubt—from trends we see in our data, from the multitude of barriers women experience in finding knowledgeable and compassionate clinicians, and from the traditionally gendered responsibility many carry for family care—that there is a clear and urgent need for easier, faster access to practitioners who specialize in the needs of women’s and family health.

A benefits plan that includes access to on-demand virtual support focused on major life stages, from fertility to menopause, is nothing short of a game-changer. It advances a comprehensive and proactive approach to health that will allow both women and their workplaces to thrive."

Across Canada, women now make up nearly half the workforce. That’s good news for women, their employers, and the economy as a whole: research has shown that organizations that prioritize gender equity experience lower turnover,¹ greater innovation, and higher profitability² than their peers. Yet few organizations are built to accommodate the unique, significant, and often overlooked health needs of this demographic.

As you’ll read in this report, women’s health issues have been chronically under-funded, under-studied, under-served and under-taught for decades. While notable progress has been made in recent years, a pervasive health gap remains. Too many women still face many barriers in having their concerns acknowledged or understood, and in receiving comprehensive and effective care—whether they’re dealing with conditions exclusive to women (like pregnancy, endometriosis, or menopause) or navigating chronic issues for which most research has been conducted on only men (like heart disease, cancer, and psychiatric disorders). It can be exhausting, destabilizing, and negatively impact all facets of a woman’s life—including work and career.

As an employer, you now have an opportunity to help change that. In this report, you’ll learn how workplaces can play a critical role in improving women’s health experiences, by offering tailored benefits, facilitating care, and creating organizational cultures that support women’s unique health needs, so they can show up at their best. By helping bridge the women’s health gap, you can differentiate your organization as an employer of choice—and become more innovative, productive and operationally resilient in the process.

At Manulife, we are constantly analyzing aggregate claims data, evaluating pain points, consulting our medical partners and developing innovative solutions to help build healthier workplaces – all with an eye to helping Canadians get more health from their benefits. Our new partnership with Maven Clinic is a perfect example of this. We know without a doubt—from trends we see in our data, from the multitude of barriers women experience in finding knowledgeable and compassionate clinicians, and from the traditionally gendered responsibility many carry for family care—that there is a clear and urgent need for easier, faster access to practitioners who specialize in the needs of women’s and family health. A benefits plan that includes access to on-demand virtual support focused on major life stages, from fertility to menopause, is nothing short of a game-changer. It advances a comprehensive and proactive approach to health that will allow both women and their workplaces to thrive.

We believe efforts like these will be key to helping close the women’s health gap for good – and when you support women, you support everyone.

Jennifer Foubert
Assistant Vice President and Head of Product and Growth for Group Benefits, Manulife Canada

A note about gender

While we use the terms "women," "female," and "men" and "male" in this article, we recognize that these terms are not inclusive of all gender identities and that the health issues addressed here may be relevant to individuals across the gender spectrum.

In workplaces across Canada, there’s a problem – and an opportunity – hiding in plain sight

Look around at your next team meeting or brainstorm session. You might see a productive and engaged group of colleagues chatting with one another. You might see capable professionals brainstorming or hashing out a problem. You might see a group of high performers doing what they can to bring their "A" game to work.

Here’s what you may not be able see: the exhaustion a member of your team is feeling from managing yet another IVF cycle, which she’s gone into debt to pay for. Or the intense pelvic pain one of her colleagues is silently suffering from, caused by a condition that may take another 5 years to diagnose. Or a VP’s quiet panic as she tries to mask another round of heart palpitations, wondering if it’s a serious heart problem, an anxiety attack, or yet another symptom of perimenopause.

In workplaces across Canada, women are carrying a host of disproportionate and mostly hidden health burdens, for a multitude of reasons. Research suggests that many women have been conditioned to keep discomfort to themselves,³ and that they are 18 per cent more likely than men to fear professional retribution as a result of sharing their health issues at work.⁴ As a result, most managers don’t, or can’t, see when women on their team are struggling, or unwell.⁵ And while employers are increasingly adding benefits that cover family-building expenses and emergency childcare support,⁶ experts say few workplaces are built to accommodate the full scope of women’s health needs through the milestone stages of fertility and family growth, maternity, postnatal health, parenting, midlife and menopause.

This de-prioritization affects the wellbeing and longevity of working women. It also impedes their individual careers, the competitiveness of their organizations, and—zooming out—the global economy, where hundreds of billions of dollars are left on the table annually due to unaddressed women’s health issues.⁷

Medical and workplace experts say that employers can play an important role in closing the women’s health gap. But to fix a problem, you have to be able to see it.

The goal of this report is to help employers:

Recognize the many ways in which women’s health needs are chronically and comprehensively underserved; through expert analysis, data, and real women’s stories
Understand that supporting women’s health is both a moral and a business imperative—one that can produce qualitative and quantitative dividends; and
Learn what steps you can take in your own workplace that will move the dial, set you apart as a leader, and help both women and your business thrive. This includes understanding one of the key barriers women face when it comes to their health: easy access to expert advice that responds to their core needs.

This is the work that will help employers understand the root of women’s health inequities, and how they’ve contributed to the uneven landscape we see today, where:

Programs with impact

Our women’s and family health product, powered by Maven®, a global leader in digital health, features 4 evidence-based programs addressing family building, maternity, parenting, and midlife health.

Learn more

A brief history of women’s health research

In the words of Dr. Neel Shah, chief medical officer of Maven Clinic, a virtual clinic that specializes in women’s and family health: "You can’t fix what you’re not seeing, and you can’t see what you’re not measuring."

For decades, the majority of medical research drew conclusions from studies that were either exclusively or predominantly derived from male subjects. As a result, experts say persistent and pervasive shortfalls remain in how, when, and whether women’s health is studied around the world.

Conditions that exclusively affect the female sex (such as pregnancy, endometriosis, and menopause) are the subject of just a small fraction of healthcare research.¹¹ The data most researchers use to study conditions that tend to affect women more than men (such as Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune diseases, and depression) is rarely disaggregated by sex.¹² And when it comes to studying common conditions that affect women and men differently (such as cancer, heart disease, and psychiatric disorders), male subjects still dominate clinical trials.¹³

"In almost all areas, we’re lacking research on how health conditions specifically affect women," explains Dr. Michelle Roseman with Cleveland Clinic Canada, who is a primary care physician with expertise in women's health (Cleveland Clinic Canada is the medical director for Manulife Group Benefits). "And the under-representation is even more pronounced among women in marginalized communities, including women of colour."

What has caused women’s health to be so chronically overlooked? Dr. Roseman says the research gap stems from interrelated factors:

"Historically in medical research, the prevailing thought was that male bodies were the standard, and that female bodies were atypical or special versions of that norm," Dr. Roseman explains. "That perspective led to a bias in research, wherein findings from studies on men were generally assumed to apply to everyone."

Even today: Just seven per cent of healthcare research focuses on conditions that are exclusive to women.¹⁴

Until the early 1990s, women were discouraged and, often, prevented from participating in most medical research and clinical trials. Any research that did include female subjects was likely to focus on fertility and reproduction alone—not how women might experience the broad spectrum of health conditions unrelated to their wombs. Despite considerable progress in the three decades since, Dr. Roseman says proportionate sex representation in clinical trials remains elusive: "We haven’t caught up."

Even today: Only 27 per cent of participants in trials for heart failure are women,¹⁵ despite heart disease being the leading cause of premature death among women in Canada.¹⁶ "Women have been concerningly underrepresented in cardiovascular research studies," says Dr. Heather Warren, a cardiologist and Vice-President of Medical Affairs at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), where she contributes to the PREVENT Clinic (opens in a new tab), a multidisciplinary risk-factor reduction program for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Funders have long been slow to bankroll research into women’s health, and—despite growing interest among public, private, and philanthropic financiers—conditions that mostly affect men continue to receive the bulk of money.¹⁷ "That's created an ongoing lack of research into conditions that predominantly affect women’s health, but also into how conditions affect women differently, and how treatments might have different effects in women," Dr. Roseman explains.

Even today: Research focused specifically on the health of women accounts for less than 11 per cent of National Institutes of Health spending in the United States,¹⁸ and less than one per cent of Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) funding goes to women’s mental health, according to Dr. Liisa Galea, a senior scientist and the inaugural womenmind Treliving Family Chair in Women’s Mental Health, and lead of the Women’s Health Research Cluster at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): "There are requirements that sex and gender be included in the research, yet the trends of neglect for women’s health continues."

Women’s health matters are often still spoken about in whispers, and many don’t feel equipped or empowered to advocate for themselves, Dr. Roseman says. "There’s been a lack of open discussion about women’s health issues, coupled with ongoing societal norms that suggest some health conditions that affect women are not as worthy of investment or research," she explains. "That still persists."

Consider: A 2016 analysis found erectile dysfunction (which affects fewer than 20 per cent of men) to be the subject of more than five times as many research studies as premenstrual syndrome (which is experienced by 90 per cent of women at some point in their lifetime).¹⁹

Today’s reality: Inadequate understanding, insufficient support, inequitable outcomes

To understand all the ways women’s health has fallen through the cracks, and the critical role employers can play in helping close the gap, take an imaginary short walk in the average woman’s shoes.

Statistically speaking, the "average" Canadian woman can now expect to live to 84 years old, nearly five years longer than her male counterpart,²⁰ and more than 20 years longer than her great-grandmother might have.²¹

She is also more likely than the average male to acquire multiple chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, dementia, and rheumatoid arthritis.²² She will spend nine years of her life in poor health, 25 per cent more than the average man.²³ She may be living longer, but her "health span"—the duration she enjoys a high quality of life—is shorter.

Along the way, she’ll also deal with an ongoing march of conditions linked to her sexual and reproductive health, including menstruation and menopause, the symptoms of which are often debilitating and frequently invisible to others. She may go through fertility treatments, pregnancy, and postpartum recovery, sometimes multiple times; she may also live with endometriosis, fibroids, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or be diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancers.

These conditions can strain her physical and mental health, and despite women comprising half the world’s population, there’s little guarantee she’ll have access to quality care to manage them. "We know that biological sex plays a role in physiological differences, including metabolic and hormonal differences, and we know that there can be differences in the prevalence and severity of diseases based on sex and gender," says Dr. Michelle Roseman with Cleveland Clinic Canada, a primary care physician with expertise in women’s health. "But health care traditionally hasn't considered the impact of sex and gender differences."

The relative scarcity of data about women’s health informs what healthcare providers are taught, and, in turn, their ability to tailor their care pathways based on sex, Dr. Roseman says. "Many still have a limited understanding of how women experience disease and health changes associated with different life stages, and how best to treat them."

As a result, Canadian women experience inconsistent health outcomes on multiple fronts: Conditions that only affect women, conditions that are more common among women than men, and conditions that present differently in women than in men.

Conditions that only affect women

The effects of the women’s health research gap manifest most apparently in concerns exclusive to women, such as endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cancer, and menopause. Most medical professionals spend only a small fraction of their training learning about such conditions, according to Dr. Paige Bauer, Director of Global Corporate Advisory Services at Cleveland Clinic Canada, whose PhD focused on physiology. For instance, it’s not uncommon for general practitioners to receive limited training on menopause during medical school and residency. "That makes it very challenging for medical professionals to proactively identify or effectively address a woman’s needs when she's starting to experience symptoms," Dr. Bauer says.

Dr. Roseman builds on the example of perimenopause and menopause, which unleash an unpredictable constellation of potentially debilitating symptoms, and can affect nearly every organ in the body, for an average of seven years among half the population.²⁴ "When women seek support for perimenopause or menopause symptoms, it’s not uncommon to encounter healthcare providers who may have the best intentions, but just don’t have adequate training to help," she says. The common workaround—a referral to a specialist—is often insufficient, as wait times for menopause clinics can be as long as a year. "For someone suffering acutely with symptoms, this is a really significant challenge."

Conditions that are more common among women than men

At the same time, experts say relatively little is known about how women experience non-reproductive conditions that disproportionately affect them, such as Alzheimer's disease,²⁵ autoimmune disorders,²⁶ clinical depression,²⁷ and migraine headaches.²⁸ Consider the example of chronic pain: Despite women comprising an estimated 70 per cent of chronic pain sufferers, 80 per cent of pain research is conducted on male anatomies.²⁹

The result is that women experiencing conditions like these are often evaluated through a male lens, which can lead to inadequate or incomplete support, according to Dr. Roseman: "Our ability to effectively prevent these conditions, our ability to detect them early, and our ability to provide the most effective care, is more limited in women." This can also lead to women's symptoms being discounted or diminished. Picking up on the chronic pain example, Dr. Roseman points to growing body of research suggesting prevailing bias in the treatment of the condition:³⁰ "That can mean we routinely underestimate or under-treat pain in women."

This phenomenon occurs in matters of both physical and mental health. "Women are diagnosed with depression or anxiety at two to three times the rate of men, and women are more likely to have 'atypical' symptoms, such as somatic symptoms," explains CAMH's Dr. Galea. "Yet those symptoms are always queried."³¹

Conditions that present differently in women than in men

Women can also experience different symptoms and treatment responses for conditions that are common in both sexes, such as diabetes,³² cancer,³³ and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).³⁴ Experts say the science is clear that these conditions affect women differently than men, but that isn't yet mainstream knowledge.

Take heart disease, which one in 12 Canadians experience.³⁵ It is the number one cause of early death among women in Canada,³⁶ but many aren't aware that the symptoms of a heart attack present differently in women than in men.³⁷ "While great strides have been made in recent decades in improving patient outcomes in cardiovascular disease, there are concerning differences between the impact on women and men," says Dr. Warren from the WRHN PREVENT Clinic. "What I see in my practice—and this is certainly supported in medical literature—is that one of the biggest differences between men and women when it comes to heart disease is that women tend to underestimate their risk to a greater degree. Many simply do not think of heart disease as a women's health issue."

The ripple effects

Combined, these gaps can influence how, when, and whether women engage with the health system.

To begin, many women struggle to navigate a disconnected and often confusing network of specialists and experts. "Women's and family health is often fragmented, and the most vulnerable fall between the cracks," says Stephanie Glenn, Chief Commercial Officer at Maven Clinic, a virtual clinic specializing in women's and family health. Canada's strained public health system can further complicate matters, in Dr. Bauer's view: "We are very privileged to have the health system we do, but access to care and specialists can be challenging."

When women do get appointments, there's no guarantee they'll feel their concerns are heard. "Women often feel dismissed," explains Dr. Roseman. "That can lead to avoidance of the healthcare system, reluctance to bring issues forward to healthcare providers, and difficulties advocating for themselves."

This can carry serious consequences, Dr. Bauer says: "From what I see, women tend to have other things being thrown at them, or feel other obstacles to getting support they'd otherwise want," she says. "That can lead to women enduring conditions for longer. And that may mean they can't show up in their personal lives, or in their workplaces, in the ways they might want to."

The need for change

While there are signs the women's health gap is narrowing—for example, Dr. Roseman says there has been "significant momentum" towards more equitable research in the past 10 years—it's clear that there is still much room to improve how women's health is approached and delivered.

Closing the gap entirely takes a "whole-of-society" commitment (including employers) in order to:

Bridge outstanding knowledge gaps and support modes of health care that effectively address the distinct, and common, needs of women.
Advance destigmatized and inclusive approaches to research, such as the work of the Women's Health Research Cluster, via the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's womenmind initiative (which Manulife supports).
Give the matter the attention it deserves. "We know that women make up 50 per cent of the population. We know that women's health experiences are unique. And we know that women's health has historically been under-funded and under-researched," says Cori Lawson-Roberts, Assistant Vice-President of Disability Shared Services at Manulife Canada. "It's time to shine a spotlight on the issue."

It's a big job, but it's an achievable one, according to Jennifer Foubert, Assistant Vice-President and Head of Product and Growth for Group Benefits at Manulife Canada: "Even with the challenges we've had historically with our healthcare system, our ability to advocate and use our voices is getting stronger," she explains. And as awareness grows and new approaches emerge—such as virtual support clinics like Maven—all signs point to change: "I truly believe that women will be able to get more out of our healthcare system and become more empowered around their health."

By the numbers: What data tells us about key aspects of women's health

As data on women's health increases, a picture is emerging that shows how support, or lack-there-of, can impact the workplace. These statistics highlight the realities, disparities and progress that has been made thus far, as well as the areas that need improvement both in healthcare and workplaces.

Here, we dive deeper into some of those metrics, offering a topline view of trends, gaps and opportunities for employers.

Behind the numbers: Real stories from women

While data is starting to tell a more fulsome story about how women are impacted in the workplace and in their daily lives, it doesn't capture the whole picture.

To illustrate some of the nuances of how women's health issues can impact their working lives, we asked women of different ages, and at different job stages, to anonymously share their stories. Their experiences point to a clear need for tailored, compassionate, and accessible health support. Here's a sample of what they had to say.

"I needed access to fertility support when I was trying to conceive, including cycle monitoring and other treatments that necessitated multiple appointments per month. I didn't feel like I could let my workplace know, in case it impacted my chance at promotions or being considered for future projects. Occasionally, I was late to work and had to deal with constant comments from my coworkers that I 'slept in'. In reality, I'd been up since 5 a.m. and had already been to an appointment."

"As long as I can remember I've gotten painful periods, and then the pain started getting worse. It would flare up randomly and make me sick to my stomach, on all fours, wishing anything would take it away. My doctor told me there wasn't a reasonable explanation for this and referred me to a specialist, who told me this was normal. I knew it wasn't. Seven years, multiple doctors and numerous tests later I was diagnosed with endometriosis. I had corrective surgery and had to remove my appendix because it had gotten so bad. I had to advocate for my own health, and didn't have any support along the way. I would've loved to have access to someone to guide me through all of this, tell me I wasn't crazy and help me navigate a complex and overburdened system."

"My doctor seems to use menopause as a catch-all explanation for any complaint I have. Whenever I bring up an issue, the response is often 'it's probably just menopause.' That's not enough for someone who's suffering. It's incredibly frustrating. Menopause feels like one of the last remaining taboo subjects. I think workplaces should offer basic workshops with information on menopause coping skills at home and in the office."

"In my mid-thirties, while working a full-time role that I loved, I was ready to start a family and got pregnant. I developed hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness where I would throw up more than 20 times per day. It was physically and emotionally devastating. I had to wait a long time for a referral to an OB-GYN anda I felt stuck. The delay meant I suffered longer than I needed to and needed to go on short-term disability in order to recover. If I had had access to support sooner, I truly believe I would have avoided some of the worst days. I have learned through experience that I will work 10 times harder for an employer who cares about my well-being. That comes from comprehensive and benefits packages, flexible policies that reflect real life, and a culture of empathy."

"When my kids were younger it felt like they were home from school and daycare way too often because they were sick, which meant taking lots of time off work. I used personal, wellness, and vacation days just to cover sick kids, which left very little time for me as a parent to rest and recuperate. And I felt like I was so behind at my job that I was working evenings, weekends and during nap time to stay on top of it all. I burnt out both physically and mentally that I was short with my colleagues, couldn't work through projects efficiently. I envied my friends who worked at companies with compressed work weeks or flex-time policies to allow for better work-life balance."

Seizing the opportunity

When supporting women's health can do for business

There's little doubt that supporting women's health is a nice thing for employers to do. But experts say there's also a solid—and increasingly compelling—business case.

Let's start with a needs assessment. A statistically "average" woman employee is more than 80 per cent likely to have at least one pregnancy,³⁸ which requires time away for prenatal appointments, support for postnatal mental and physical care, and, almost always, parental leave. Along the way, there's an estimated one-in-six chance she'll experience fertility challenges,³⁹ which can introduce stress, unpredictable daytime appointments for treatments, and significant financial strain. (A single round of IVF can cost upwards of $20,000, plus medication.) If she's one of the 88 per cent of Canadian women who return to work after having a child,⁴⁰ she'll juggle child care. If she continues to work, she's all but guaranteed to deal with perimenopause symptoms at work, increasing both her likelihood of absenteeism and her contribution to the estimated global US$150 billion in productivity losses employers incur due to women's mid-life health issues.⁴¹ And she'll navigate these stages on top of the range of chronic and acute health conditions that can affect anyone, but can affect women in distinct ways.

Few workplaces are currently set up to comprehensively support these unique health needs, acknowledges Jennifer Foubert, Assistant Vice President and Head of Product and Growth for Group Benefits at Manulife Canada. "Our health system and, by extension, workplace benefits were initially designed around a predominantly male workforce," she explains. "That legacy has left us with significant gaps in care, understanding, and, in turn, support for women's and family health." The effects are everywhere: Nearly two-thirds of Canadian employees say their employers do not offer menopause benefits,⁴² 95 per cent report no formal supports for during their parental leave transitions.⁴³

"There has been a lack of knowledge and a lack of understanding about women's health, and that has really impacted how workplaces make decisions," confirms Dr. Paige Bauer, Director of Corporate Advisory Services at Cleveland Clinic Canada. "When you layer in stigma, shame, and the many feelings that the women have when speaking of their health, it means that—intentionally or unintentionally—health is being left out of the conversation."

Increasingly, both health and business experts are advocating for employers to recognize the rich value of treating women's health as a strategic priority—one that can deliver outsized returns in both employee wellness and organizational performance. "Addressing women's health gaps is not just moral imperative, but an economic one," explains Stephanie Glenn, Chief Commercial Officer at Maven Clinic, a virtual clinic specializing in women's and family health. "It's just good business."

Let's go back to that typical female employee. Consider everything she brings to her workplace: She is likely to be more educated than her male colleagues (per Statistics Canada data, Canadian women are roughly six per cent more likely to pursue a bachelor's degree or above than men)⁴⁴ and more loyal to the workplace, too (according a 2020 study by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research, the number of long-tenure female employees has grown by five per cent since the 1980s, as their male equivalents have decreased by 10 per cent).⁴⁵ If she's in a leadership role, there's a good chance your organization is more profitable,⁴⁶ innovative,⁴⁷ and sustainable⁴⁸ for it. And if she's navigated even one health transition while working, she's probably full of the resilience and resourcefulness that modern workplaces need.⁴⁹

"Women have had to figure out our health concerns and solutions on our own, or through the networks we have built," says Dr. Liisa Galea, a senior scientist and the inaugural womenmind Treliving Family Chair in Women's Mental Health, and Lead of the Women's Health Research Cluster at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). "Walk a mile in our shoes and you'll understand that women put up with a lot."

Data shows that when you invest in women's health, you're investing in the long-term resilience of your business – as shown by three key outcomes:

Top talent stays

"Employee expectations are on the rise," says Foubert. "Work isn't just work anymore." Across the board, she says, employees expect their workplaces to provide health coverage that meets their needs, and the numbers bear her out: Nearly 80 per cent of Canadian workers would switch jobs for a role that better supported their personal well-being, according to Morneau Shepell;⁵⁰ furthermore, a 2025 survey conducted by Robert Half revealed that a desire for better benefits is now the number one motivator for Canadian employees considering new positions—edging out both better pay and advancement opportunities.⁵¹ Female employees are nearly 20 per cent more likely to recommend their workplace as a great employer when they have access to menopause benefits,⁵² while some 96 per cent of workers are more loyal to companies who provide support for fertility and family-building.⁵³

Offering benefits and work environments that support women's health can help organizations build better talent pipelines, according to Dr. Bauer: "If you take a very objective and unbiased lens and look at the talented individuals and high performers within the workforce, you'll see that more and more of them are women," says Dr. Bauer. "You need think about how health may be a barrier to them staying, and maybe a barrier to them choosing to apply for challenging roles that might be highly impactful for the organization."

It's more profitable in the long term

Yes, benefit plans and workplace perks carry a cost for employers. But Dr. Bauer challenges you to consider the price of leaving employees to manage on their own: "That leads to higher direct care costs," she explains. "Then all these other costs start to show up, whether it's in claims, in employee leaves, or in turnover costs."

Foubert says there's an excellent return on investment to thoughtfully-designed employee benefits—such as programs that promote preventive activities, or enrollment in 24/7 virtual support platforms like those offered by Maven Clinic and TELUS Health. Accessible programs like these can help employees manage potential health problems before they escalate into serious issues that warrant acute care or time off, she says. In Foubert's view, applying a women's health lens to group benefits is simply prudent: "It is an opportunity to deliberately support women, optimize plan design, and, ultimately, achieve cost savings."

Better organizational performance

Organizations that encourage and support women's health can expect performance improvements on a range of metrics, says Cori Lawson-Roberts, Manulife's Assistant Vice-President of Disability Shared Services. That's partially due to simple math: The healthier the employee, the more likely she is to turn up and get things done. But competitive advantages can also stem from the perceived peace of mind that can come when quality support is readily available, Lawson-Roberts explains. "There's a lot of research behind this: When employees feel safe and supported in their workplace, they're more engaged and productive," she explains, pointing to data demonstrating positive bumps in areas like innovation, customer service, and profitability among organizations that support women's health.⁵⁴ "That's what all companies want."

There's one more reason to support women's health at work that is less quantifiable, but no less powerful: it elevates the workplace for everyone. When employers invest in equitable health support, it doesn't just benefit women—it strengthens workplaces for all employees, and families as a whole. "Improving equity in women's health strengthens the entire ecosystem," Glenn explains. The benefits spill over to men as well: according to Maven Clinic data, 84 per cent of male workers feel their reproductive health needs aren't being met, three quarters of those would consider changing employers for better benefits.⁵⁵ "It isn't just about helping women."

Lawson-Roberts shares this view. "When we support women during all their major life milestones, all genders benefit, and we move forward," she says. "And when we do that, families win, businesses win, and societies win."

Building the solution

10 ways your organization can become a partner in women's health

There's no disputing that women's unique health challenges have been under-researched, under-supported and overlooked – and that employers have both a responsibility and an opportunity to improve the situation. So what does it look like to make support of women's health part of your organizational DNA? What policies, programs, and practices hit the sweet spot of being both effective and feasible? What tools can help create better outcomes for everyone involved?

In August, 2025, we asked workplace and health experts to share what best-in-class organizations do to better support women's health, narrowing their responses down to 10 key action items, which can all be stepping stones on a path to becoming a workplace where all employees can thrive—regardless of age, stage, or sex.

Many female health issues aren't visible or obvious to even close friends—much less co-workers—and many women don't broadcast what they're going through. For that reason, experts advise you assume nothing. "Ask your employees what they need and what matters to them," says Cori Lawson-Roberts, Assistant Vice-President of Disability Shared Services at Manulife. "It's not always what you think, and it's rarely a one-size fits all solution."

Town hall forums or ask-me-anything sessions can help you assess general attitudes and pain points, and anonymous survey tools can help you drill deep into what benefits and supports your staff really need.

Best practice: Analyze survey responses alongside recent claims data to develop a strategy that incorporates employee needs and behaviours.

Targeted benefit plans that address women's unique health conditions can make a big difference to employee experience, says Dr. Liisa Galea, a senior scientist and the inaugural womenmind Treliving Family Chair in Women's Mental Health, and Lead of the Women's Health Research Cluster at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). "It may be surprising how much better women can feel when they are supported during mental, physical, and hormonal transitions throughout their lives, especially when paired with proper and effective treatments."

If you haven't evaluated your plan design in a while, experts say it's time to take a look—it may not be keeping up with what women need. According to Manulife aggregate claims data, recent years have seen significant increases in claims for fertility drugs, postpartum mental health treatment, and hormone therapy for menopause⁵⁸. Conducting a thoughtful review of what you offer—with the help of experts, like Manulife consultants and insurance advisors—can help you ensure you're offering the right mix.

Best practice: Treat your benefits plan as a living document. "It's not a set-it-and-forget-it policy," says Lawson-Roberts. "You need to regularly review whether it's hitting the mark, and, with the input of relevant stakeholders, adjust and evolve it over time." Manulife's Health Insights also helps employers uncover wider claims patterns that can help them anticipate emerging needs, and tailor their plans accordingly.

A woman going through perimenopause might need coverage for hormone therapy. But she might also benefit from access to endocrinologists, therapists, sleep coaches, and nutritionists—and her requirements might change from day to day. "It's about thinking more holistically about where people are in their journeys," explains Stephanie Glenn, Chief Commercial Officer at Maven Clinic, whose 24/7 virtual services are now available as part of Manulife group benefits plans. "Augmenting in-person care with real-time access to sub-specialists and other key supports can really drive positive outcomes."

The emergence of virtual platforms like Maven have made it feasible for organizations to provide employees with more tailored and comprehensive support, says Jennifer Foubert, Assistant Vice-President and Head of Product and Growth for Group Benefits at Manulife Canada—and this can be transformative for both employees and employers: "Platforms like Maven allows organizations to offer the kind of wrap-around supports that we know can make a difference, in an equitable way, with cost certainty."

Best practice: Tailor what you offer to the needs of your team. Maven offers comprehensive support with four flexible programs available individually (fertility and family building, pregnancy and postnatal support, parenting and pediatrics and menopause/midlife health), or bundled together for more comprehensive, long-term support.

Robust mental health support is important in all organizations, but not all conditions require the same treatments. Experts say it's a good idea to review your benefit plans to ensure that employees have access to tailored and accessible support for the mental health conditions that exclusively affect women (such as postpartum anxiety) and those that affect women in unique ways (such as depression, ADHD, and anxiety). "Mental health is an absolutely key area of importance," confirms Foubert, adding that Employee and Family Assistance Programs (EFAPs) can be very helpful for women experiencing mental health challenges: "These create a mechanism for members to come in and receive guidance about the best programs to meet their needs," she says. "A richness of information and resources can be leveraged through EFAPs."

Best practice: Offer seminars and resources specifically dedicated to women's mental health issues. "Make sure the resources and experts are vetted," advises Dr. Galea. "There is so much misinformation in the women's health space at the moment."

The relative newness and novelty of many benefits that promote women's health mean that many employees may not be aware of what's available—especially if they're not used to having access to things like menopause coaching or fertility counselling. "Employers have an opportunity to lead by openly sharing the women's and family health benefits they offer—and by encouraging their use," says Glenn. "When these resources are visible and normalized, it sends a powerful message of care and support."

Experts recommend a few tactics to help employees up the benefits learning curve: Holding webinars or lunch-and-learns to discuss new offerings, creating clear and easy-to-access resources that articulate what is available, and incentivizing employees to download the Manulife Mobile app, for example. "It's about educating members around what is available and so that when they need it, they're ready," Foubert explains.

Best practice: Be consistent and persistent. Since most employees don't think about benefits until they need them, Foubert says regular reminders about what is available, and to whom, and under what circumstances, are important to improve usage. "Persistent reminders really are key."

Giving women options over when and where they work can ease the significant pressures that come with managing symptoms, scheduling specialist appointments, all while juggling professional and personal responsibilities, according to Lawson-Roberts. "Women experience higher rates of burnout than men,"⁵⁹ she explains. "Employers can help by addressing unmanageable deadline pressures, ensuring women have control over how their work is done, and fostering a culture of trust and support in the workplace."

Best practice: The best flex-work policies are supported by managers who approach the situation with compassion, says Dr. Paige Bauer, Director of Global Corporate Advisory Services at Cleveland Clinic Canada. "Often, the health concerns women go through don't last forever. It may just be a period of time, and there may be simple things that can be put in place that allow them to stay working while they are navigating a shorter-term health concern."

Many women's health conditions necessitate short-term or long-term time away from work. This can introduce significant stress—financial and otherwise—on an individual already going through a lot. That's why experts recommend offering paid time off to deal with the physical and mental effects of their health issues. "This can help to reduce the stress and the burden on employees as they're trying to balance work and health needs," says Foubert. It can also reduce an employee's likelihood of dropping out, says Dr. Bauer: "Paid leave gives women an opportunity to just step away for a minute, rather than feeling like they have to make big career trajectory decisions or leave the workplace completely."

Best practice: If you offer paid time off for things like fertility treatments, menopause symptoms, and pregnancy challenges, make it explicit to employees. Many women may be unaware of these policies, or hesitant to ask about it. "This can help make sure that they're taking the time for their care, which oftentimes can be a bit of a challenge for women," Foubert says.

When a woman takes an extended absence to attend to health concerns, her priority should be just that—not worrying about work. That's important and often necessary for her recovery, but it can mean a rough transition back to the office. "There's often room for improvement when it comes to communication," Lawson-Roberts says. She recommends creating a "roadmap" that lets the employee know about any organizational or personnel changes that have occurred in her absence, clearly articulates the supports that will be available to her upon return, and—crucially—underscores how excited you are to have her back. "When you provide that clarity, a lot of the anxiety of coming back into the workplace goes away," Lawson-Roberts reports. "A lot of the struggle is in not knowing."

Best practice: Creating an accommodation schedule that gradually phases in responsibilities or working conditions can make for a much smoother reintegration, Lawson-Roberts says. "It can help set them up for success."

A supportive manager can make a big difference in a woman's experience navigating health issues at work; in fact, experts say it's often the difference between asking for help and suffering in silence. "Having leadership buy in and endorsement is really, really important," says Foubert.

But not all people-managers are equipped to sensitively and intentionally support women's health, according to Dr. Bauer: "Even when it's well intentioned, leaders often bring biases and assumptions to matters of women's health." Ongoing training and coaching can help people-managers improve self-awareness, understand biases, and better advocate for their teams, she says.

Best practice: Create spaces for managers to learn from experts and share their experiences coaching their team. For instance, Lawson-Roberts regularly talks about her own experiences navigating menopause with colleagues. "At Manulife, one of our corporate values is to share our humanity," she explains. "It's so important, because it gives employees permission to share what they're going through and reinforces that they will be safe and supported when they do so."

Creating open dialogues about topics like fertility, menopause, and mental health can improve employee engagement (as women going through specific health experiences feel seen and heard) while creating more empathetic organizational cultures. "It's really important for women to be able to validate the health situations that they are dealing with," Dr. Bauer says. "It's not only about managing symptoms. It's about having the confidence to advocate for yourself. It's about not feeling at fault, or feeling like there's a deficit in your ability to show up, because of something very natural and not within your control."

Best practice: Create employee resource groups dedicated to specific and general women's health issues to give employees an accessible forum to connect and learn. "These can really drive conversations forward," Foubert says.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat a condition. If you have questions or concerns about your specific situation or are seeking medical advice, contact your medical doctor or your healthcare provider.

About Jennifer Foubert
Jennifer Foubert leads a team dedicated to helping Canadians maintain or recover their health and wellness through innovative workplace programs and services. For two decades, Foubert has been involved in the business of improving health and helping people reach their potential. She is passionate about women's health and is dedicated to closing gaps and improving access to support for women and all other underserved groups, communities, and individuals.

About Cleveland Clinic Canada
Manulife is proud to have Cleveland Clinic Canada on board as Medical Director for our Group Benefits operations. Cleveland Clinic Canada has a wealth of global healthcare expertise and shares our goal to help Canadians live longer, healthier, and better lives. Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit organization that has been at the forefront of modern medicine since 1921. In recent years, Cleveland Clinic has worked with progressive companies in Canada and around the world to prioritize the health and well-being of their employees, customers, and communities.

About Maven
Clinic Maven is the world's largest virtual clinic for women and families on a mission to make healthcare work for all of us. Maven's award-winning digital programs provide clinical, emotional, and financial support all in one platform, spanning fertility & family building, maternity & newborn care, parenting & pediatrics, and menopause & midlife. More than 2,000 employers and health plans trust Maven's end-to-end platform to improve clinical outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and provide equity in benefits programs.

About CAMH
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is the largest mental health hospital in Canada, and a world leader in mental health and addiction research. One of the biggest issues in our health care system is the perception that mental health isn’t as important as physical health, even though 1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental illness in any given year. Mental Health is Health is a new campaign rallying Canadians in support of giving mental illness the same priority as any other illness. To learn more about the campaign visit camh.ca/mentalhealthishealth

About Waterloo Regional Health Network
Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN, pronounced wren) represents the merger of two Hospitals into a single, integrated healthcare organization. Built on over 90 years of partnership, WRHN is home to seven regional programs and comprehensive healthcare services to meet the current and emerging needs in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond. WRHN is redefining the healthcare experience through collaboration and innovation, addressing barriers to access, advancing care delivery, and setting new standards in compassionate, empowered, community-driven healthcare. At WRHN, every patient is at the centre of everything we do as we strive to improve lives, inspire healing, and build healthier, stronger communities. Learn more at WRHN.ca.

¹ Maven program data, based on aggregate member self-reported outcomes, substantiated by Milliman, 2025

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