Women's unique health challenges at work: Implications for career and economic growth
Women spend a significant portion of their working lives facing unique health challenges that men often don’t experience.
On average, women dedicate 25% more of their working years to managing health-related issues, from reproductive health and pregnancy to chronic conditions like autoimmune diseases.
These challenges not only affect their well-being but also impact their careers and everyday lives. Understanding and addressing these issues is crucial for creating a more equitable and supportive environment for women in the workforce.
In this article, we delve into the specific health hurdles women face, the reasons behind these disparities, and what can be done to support women in balancing their health and professional lives.
More than half of the female health burden occurs during their working-age years. Global GDP could be estimated to be raised by US$1 trillion by 2040 by addressing women’s ‘health gap’ to enable greater workplace participation and productivity.
According to a McKinsey Global Institute survey on closing the women's health gap, better health is closely linked to economic prosperity.
The women's health gap results in 75 million years of life lost due to poor health or early death annually, which equates to seven days per woman each year.
Women tend to spend more of their lives in poor health and with varying degrees of disability, focusing on their "health span" rather than just their "life span."
On average, a woman will spend nine years in poor health, affecting her ability to be present and productive at home, in the workforce, and within the community. This reduced health span also diminishes her earning potential.
The challenges women face when seeking healthcare manifest in diverse ways across different diseases and societal sectors. Unfortunately, women's health is often simplified to encompass only sexual and reproductive health (SRH), which significantly under-represents the broader health burden women endure.
The McKinsey report defines women's health as encompassing both sex-specific conditions (such as endometriosis and menopause) and general health conditions that may affect women differently (resulting in a higher disease burden) or disproportionately (with higher prevalence).
"Having more women in the workforce is beneficial for the economy and their ability to support themselves and their families independently, but work is not always good for their health.
“Greater understanding and support are needed from employers, acknowledging that women's bodies and health needs differ from men's," said Prof Anita Bosch, Research Chair in Women at Work at Stellenbosch Business School.
Bosch further highlighted: "Women have made hard-earned gains in increased economic participation and workplace equality, but ignoring their specific health needs places these gains – and their positive socio-economic impacts – at risk."
“Women make up 51% of the South African population, but despite a steady increase in women in the labour force, men still have a higher employment rate and women’s unemployment (35.2%) remained higher than that of men (31%) in the first quarter of 2024.”
“What is needed now is greater understanding that women’s bodies and health issues are not the same as men’s, and targeted interventions to support the health of women as more than half of the population,” Bosch said.
The 2024 Deloitte Women @ Work study, which surveyed 5 000 women across 10 developed and developing countries, including South Africa, reveals that women are experiencing higher stress levels than in the previous year and are increasingly concerned about their mental health.
More than a quarter of women have faced health challenges due to fertility, menstruation, or menopause.
Alarmingly, 40% reported working through pain related to these conditions rather than taking time off. Many fear that disclosing their health challenges will negatively impact their careers.
The study highlighted that the majority of women suffer in silence, feeling uncomfortable discussing mental or reproductive health challenges with their managers.
When they do take time off, few disclose the real reason due to fear of discrimination, stigma, and impacts on job security or career progression.
This fear is justified, as 10-20% of women reported negative experiences and job impacts from discussing their health issues in the past. Additionally, women may take sick leave to care for unwell children, which can distort figures relating to women’s health.
How can employers do better?
Ensure that workplace policies (e.g. health, wellness, leave, flexible work) recognise and accommodate women’s specific physical and mental health needs.
This would include parental leave and policies that accommodate a return to work after childbirth or cancer treatment, for example.
Support policy implementation through awareness and training for managers, to ‘normalise the conversation’ about women’s health and ensure women can be open about their health needs, take time off if needed, and access appropriate workplace support.
Address workplace stigma and organisational culture, to enable open discussion and support for women’s health needs.
Clarify remote/hybrid work and family-friendly policies to enable work-life balance and for women to accommodate their household and caring responsibilities alongside work.
Ensure that company health and wellness benefits support women’s specific health needs.