The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) and FemTechnology have officially announced results of a groundbreaking global survey, which exposed critical gaps in workplace support for women’s health.
Going by the available details, the stated survey took into account insights from more than 1,000 female employees who are currently working in the healthcare sector across 42 countries.
Talk about the results on a slightly deeper level, we begin from how 70% of respondents reported losing 1-5 days of productivity in the past month due to health issues. On the other hand, more than 61% of respondents indicated that they have taken time off due to women’s health conditions.
Next up, we must dig into the fact that a meager 10.14% of respondents were discovered to be in agreement with their employer’s approach to providing adequate education and resources on women’s health issues. Alongside this, well over 76% of respondents indicated interest in a specialized tool, provided by their employer, which would facilitate their ability to navigate women’s health.
Another 74% of women would go to express interest in a tool which aligns their specific symptoms with employer-provided benefits. Joining that would be a piece of data, which claims that many employees still experience discomfort discussing women’s health at work, with 61% agreeing there is a stigma associated with these discussions.
“Women’s health isn’t a personal issue—it’s a business imperative with massive economic implications,” said Mary Stutts, CEO of the HBA. “We know from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that women comprise nearly 80% of the healthcare workforce in the United States and between 65% and 70% globally, according to the World Health Organization. Unsupported health conditions translate to thousands of dollars per employee every year, adding up to millions in hidden costs for companies. A healthcare system built around a one-size-fits-all model fails the workforce. These failures ripple across organizations in tangible ways.”
Complementing these findings would be an assortment of measures, shared by HBA, which employers can take to create a more inclusive, equitable health landscape for female employees. The stated measures include centralizing resources to create a new care model for women’s health. This happens to be among the most important measures, as women currently face a fragmented system that’s difficult to navigate.
In case that wasn’t bad enough, the physicians these women would have ideally turned to are also not trained on how to support their needs, thus leading to missed opportunities for support and increased out-of-pocket costs.
Keeping that challenge in mind, the stated centralization will make it possible for women to easily access and understand all available benefits related to their unique health needs, covering everything from reproductive health to chronic condition support.
Next up, HBA recommends employers to rethink how ‘women’s health’ is defined within their organization and what is being done to address the limitations that plague it. For better understanding, the survey in question highlights that conditions, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), pelvic floor dysfunction, Factor V, PCOS, and endometriosis are essential women’s health issues. Hence, investing in support for the stated conditions, along with chronic issues like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mental health which often present differently in women, can not only enhance the relevant health prospects, but it can also reduce hidden costs for companies in the long term.
Another suggestion in play here is investing in actually listening to women. By providing their female workforce with such a platform, employers can empower them to input their health concerns, identify areas where benefits exist to meet their needs, and receive support where there are existing gaps.
“The data is undeniable: women are navigating systems that weren’t designed for them, and companies are paying the price—losing millions in hidden costs because workplace systems fail to support women,” said Oriana Kraft, CEO of FemTechnology. “Closing these gaps isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the key to unlocking productivity, driving innovation, and securing a competitive edge in the modern workforce. By incorporating a navigation tool that aligns employee needs with employer offerings, companies can create clarity and deliver customized treatment options while streamlining access to care.”