Catalyst research shows that workplaces where manliness is “policed” and hypercompetitive behaviors are encouraged can take a negative toll on men’s emotional and mental health. This in turn impacts the organization’s overall health, increasing turnover and quiet quitting.

The challenge: Men are under immense pressure to be tough, confident, and aggressive at work — at the expense of other traits and behaviors.¹

Why is this happening?
Masculine stereotypes set the expectation that men are stoic, competitive, and take risks, which creates a narrow set of acceptable behaviors. The fear of losing status from not conforming leads to masculine anxiety, which is the distress men feel when they don’t think they’re living up to society’s rigid standards of masculinity.²

How big is this issue?
Workplaces with high levels of masculine stereotypes can also contribute to burnout, sleep issues, and poor psychological well-being. Men want change ─ 87% of men would prefer to work in environments that allow them to express empathy and kindness.³

Take action

Recognizing International Men’s Day can be a positive first step for HR and DEI leaders looking to create inclusive environments that promote mental well-being and equality for everyone. Here are three actions to take:

1. Promote mental health resources
   Use this day to highlight challenges men face and share the mental health resources and benefits available. Invite ERGs and other teams to have open discussions about mental health and to normalize seeking help.
2. Challenge harmful gender stereotypes and behaviors
   Share this research with leaders and host conversations that explore healthy examples of masculinity and inclusive behavior. Invite everyone to use this day to challenge stereotypes and encourage senior leaders to tackle negative workplace climates head-on.
3. Promote gender partnership
   Gender partnership is when people of all genders work together to create a more inclusive culture that benefits everyone. Discussion groups, cross-gender mentorship programs, cross-ERG events, and gender partnership trainings are all ways to begin to shift workplace norms.

Endnotes

1. DiMuccio, S. H., Yost, M. R., & Helweg-Larsen, M. (2017). A qualitative analysis of perceptions of precarious manhood in US and Danish men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 18(4), 331–340; Cejka, M. A. & Eagly, A. H. (1999). Gender-stereotypic images of occupations correspond to the sex segregation of employment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25(4), 413-423; Prentice, D. A. & Carranza, E. (2002). What women and men should be, shouldn’t be, are allowed to be, and don’t have to be: The contents of prescriptive gender stereotypes. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 26(4), 269-281; Vandello, J. A. & Bosson, J. K. (2012). Hard won and easily lost: A review and synthesis of theory and research on precarious manhood. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 14(2), 101-113.
2. DiMuccio, S., Sattari, N., Shaffer, E., & Cline, J. (2021). Masculine anxiety and interrupting sexism at work. Catalyst.
3. Brassel, S. (2024). How to reduce hostile, sexist behavior in frontline workplace. workplaces. Catalyst

The post Men’s mental health is suffering at work appeared first on Catalyst.

To achieve true competitive innovation, STEM workplaces must drive industry-wide culture change. Catalyst gathered women leaders representing the engineering, tech, and trades sectors to discuss their workplace experiences in the 2024 Catalyst Honours conference session “Rising Innovators: Women Leading the Charge in STEM, Tech, and Trades.”

Psychological safety is a key to success 

Born and raised in Ukraine and later emigrating to Canada, Valariya Yesypenko, VP, Global Data Governance, Manulife, spoke about her experience in tech: “You sit there and think, ‘Okay, I’ve been graciously invited to be a part of this boys’ club. How do I not say the wrong thing? How do I appear to be like them? How do I appear understood?’ And on top of that I have [an] accent, I make mistakes in my grammar. What does that result in? I just sit there and smile politely and feel like I’m absolutely useless. That productivity, that creativity and innovation is stifled.  

“Now, imagine yourself on a team that has representations from all cultural backgrounds, from different genders, from LGBTQ, from visible minorities…. Everybody’s different and nobody’s different. Psychological safety is achieved. Everybody can speak up and share ideas…the companies thrive, productivity is achieved. It’s a brilliant and beautiful scenario that I think everybody should embrace and support.” 

Organizations that invest in creating psychologically safe spaces and commit to supporting their employees through their actions and values can boost employee satisfaction and retention. 

Representation and role models matter 

Delaney Krieger, RSE Interior Systems Mechanic & Career Support Specialist, Build a Dream, turned to construction when she realized how expensive college would be, coupled with how unmotivated she was to continue with schooling after high school.  

But her first full-time trade job got off to a rough start. She said, “When I started, I was actually the first woman hired by my company to work [with] the tools. I remember showing up to a job site with all of my PPE (personal protective equipment), which didn’t fit me properly. I was kind of walking around playing dress-up in my father’s clothes, it felt like… boxy t-shirts and… very uncomfortable. I automatically didn’t feel like I belonged there.  

“And the guys I was working with, they’d never worked with a woman before and that baffled me. They’ve been in the industry for 40, 45 years, some of them, and they’ve never worked with a woman. They didn’t know how to navigate that. […] There were a lot of barriers that if I would have just had a female role model that I could look up to, I definitely would have struggled a lot less,” Krieger said. 

To shift gender representation in trades, organizations must use intersectional, equitable hiring practices that reduce bias; create sponsorship and mentorship programs, and look for  ways to de-bias the systems. Kreiger now works with Build a Dream, an organization that helps connect young women with careers in skilled trades and other roles where women are traditionally underrepresented. 

Inclusive leaders drive culture change 

Lina Qamar, an engineer who began her career with only one other woman in her department, now helps develop talent at Linamar. Over time, she has seen a steady increase of women in engineering. 

Qamar credited the camaraderie of other women with keeping her in engineering. She also emphasized the tone from the top at her organization. “Our leadership were all definitely our allies,” Qamar said. “There was very low tolerance towards… I will say ‘nonsense’ to summarize it. Low tolerance towards sexist behavior, low tolerance towards bullying, low tolerance towards all of that. And I think that’s so important from leadership: not necessarily immediately dismissing someone who acts in a sexist way or says perhaps a racist remark, but a focus on educating, a focus on saying, ‘This is not us. This is not our culture. Going forward, we behave in this way.’ “ 

She continued, “Not once did I feel that my personhood, my existence as who I am, was an issue. My contribution was what mattered. My work as a team player was what mattered…Lina being she/her was not a factor. So, I think that was huge.” 

Qamar’s experience is backed up by research. Catalyst found that employees in women-led frontline teams are less likely to experience hostile, sexist behavior. 

Empower your frontline teams to challenge gender stereotypes with MARC for the Front Line training. 

The post How to break barriers for women in STEM, tech, and trades appeared first on Catalyst.

Welcome to season 1, episode 7 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called AI and the Future of Pink-Collar Jobs.

As AI technology rapidly evolves, a troubling new gender gap has emerged, especially among younger workers: 71% of men ages 18-24 say they use generative AI weekly, compared with 59% of women. This gap threatens to widen existing disparities, especially frontline women in “pink-collar” sectors such as customer service, healthcare, and education.

Join host Victoria Kuketz as she chats with Ana Kreacic, Partner and Chief Knowledge Officer of Oliver Wyman Group and COO of the Oliver Wyman Forum, and Terry Stone, Managing Partner Global Health and Life Sciences and Former Managing Director, Americas, Oliver Wyman to discuss the urgent and important need for inclusive upskilling initiatives, incorporating AI into companies’ future vision, and tapping the leadership of Gen Z.

Tune in as we unpack how generative AI could both displace and empower, and what steps companies can take to create a more equitable future of work for all.

Host and guest

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Ana Kreacic is a Partner and Chief Knowledge Officer of Oliver Wyman and COO of the Oliver Wyman Forum – the think tank and platform for engaging business, public policy, and societal leaders to act on shared challenges. With over 20 years of consulting and operating experience, Ana is known for her ability to blend customer insight with business strategy and leadership effectiveness. A frequent speaker and author, Ana’s work has been featured in the World Economic Forum, Wall Street Journal, and MIT Sloan, to name a few. Ana is passionate about empowering women and youth.

LinkedIn | Website

Terry Stone is Vice Chair and Interim Global Lead taking on two strategic priorities for Oliver Wyman. One is as interim Global Leader for Health and Life Sciences focused on accelerating the growth of our Life Sciences businesses in the US and Europe. A second critical firm priority which Terry leads is a project for our CEO to accelerate the transformation of OW’s own business and operating model in response to Artificial Intelligence. Our priority is to identify how consulting overall, and our OW’s business is likely to be impacted by the opportunity and threats that AI creates for strategic advisory businesses.

LinkedIn | Website

In this episode

• 1:41 | Tell us about yourselves! Ana and Terry fill us in on what excites them as AI practitioners.
• 4:29 | The AI gender gap. Our guests break down the emerging AI usage gap between men and woman.
• 8:22 | “Pink-collar” sectors and AI. Terry defines what a “pink-collar” job is and how they’re perceiving new AI technology.
• 14:49 | Performing at the top of your license. How can we convince reticent AI users of its huge potential for positive change?
• 20:11 | AI tips & tricks. Terry reflects on her experience and what works on implementing AI policies at work. Ana brings in the “pink-collar” specificity.

Favorite moments

• 2:17 | Ana: For me, [the exciting part about AI] is the opportunity for positive change… It’s a time that requires a lot of reflection if we’re going to get it right.
• 3:21 | Terry: AI is going to be the single biggest, disruptive force or catalyst for change in business in my entire career.
• 11:50 | Terry: When [AI use is] done well, you can easily see 15-20% productivity improvements in key areas.
• 12:19 | Terry: There’s still a lot of fixation on AI as “driving efficiency.” I think the best companies are thinking about “How does AI serve as a catalyst for me to reimagine everything we do?”
• 15:25 | Ana: When ChatGPT was launched, all of the assessments said it was a very smart eight-year-old… Now we’re getting in the realm of it being an average, maybe C-level PhD student.
• 16:22 | Ana: If you look by gender, women on average will say that they are less aware, in the same company, of AI initiatives. They are less aware of changes their company has made. They are less likely to participate in trainings.
• 18:44 | Terry: The truth of the matter is, AI is going to impact your job. So, you getting smarter about AI will enable you to use it to do your job better… The more you lean in, the more you’ll get out of it.
• 22:02 | Terry: [When it comes to AI implementation], you have to think about both breakthrough business impact and things that are broad-based and easy but that make everyday users’ lives’ easier.
• 25:46 | Ana: How is it that 40% of Gen Z prefer an AI manager? Part of the reason is because they have no fear of asking any question to AI. And the way they ask the question, they know they’re not going to be judged for how they’re asking the question or what they’re asking about. Also, it’s available any time.

Mentioned on the Pod

• World Economic Forum: How to stop women falling behind on generative AI in the workplace
• Oliver Wyman Forum: How generative AI is transforming business and society
• Forbes: 46% of Gen Z leans more on AI than their managers, says new study

Research you can use

• Blog: Global CEOs share insights on AI implementation
• Blog: What is ‘responsible AI’? Panelists weigh in
• Blog: Leverage AI while avoiding its risks and biases
• Webinar recording: How to use generative AI free of gender and racial bias (Supporter Only)
• Explainer: Responsible artificial intelligence for inclusive workplaces (Supporter Only)
• Tool: Use AI to attract a more diverse candidate pool (Supporter Only)

Get the Latest Episodes

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The post Episode 107: AI and the Future of Pink-Collar Jobs appeared first on Catalyst.

Organisations committed to advancing gender equity and increasing the representation of women in leadership understand the importance of supporting employees across the lifetime of their careers. But too often, one critical life stage is ignored: menopause.

Most people experience perimenopause and menopause around the ages of 45 to 55, which often coincides with when they are most likely to move into upper leadership positions.¹ When workplaces do not adequately support employees experiencing menopause, attrition rates can increase.² Employees who stay may experience a loss of productivity due to the wide range of symptoms that can occur, at a cost to both themselves and their organisations, which flexible workplace practices and more inclusive workplace policies can help alleviate.³

Why menopause support should be part of your overall DEI strategy

Misunderstandings, unfunny jokes, and overall stigma mean many people may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed discussing a “taboo” subject, especially at work.⁴ Menopause emerges at the intersection of age and gender, two aspects of identity that can cause women to face increased workplace discrimination and stereotyping.⁵ Indeed, women already face more severe age-based discrimination than men, a concept known as gendered ageism.⁶

Due to the stigmatisation of menopause and its alignment with aging, many employees are hesitant to ask for support and may face resistance to such requests. And research has found they may leave an organisation altogether — if they are not unfairly pushed out first.⁷ This domino effect can lead to a loss of valuable, experienced talent — especially as older women continue to make up a growing segment of the workforce — and send a negative message to all employees.

Understand how your company can craft its own policies to address menopause in the workplace by learning from Standard Chartered, a bank headquartered in the UK that has successfully incorporated approaches to support employees going through this life phase into its DEI strategy.

Standard Chartered: De-stigmatising menopause in the workplace

In October 2023, Standard Chartered announced that it was expanding coverage for treatment of menopause-related symptoms within its health benefits package to all colleagues and their partners. This development, which was well received by colleagues and external stakeholders, is just one of several initiatives that the bank has introduced to educate colleagues about menopause and support employees experiencing this transition.

The bank’s work raising awareness started after it conducted a large-scale survey on menopause in the UK financial services industry in 2021 in partnership with the Financial Services Skills Commission (FSCC) and the Fawcett Society, an independent association working with the UK financial sector. The results were startling and found that “women were less likely to want to progress into more senior roles, with as many as a quarter (25 per cent) of those experiencing menopause ‘much more’ or ‘somewhat more’ likely to leave work before retirement.”⁸

Although the research focused on financial services, Tanuj Kapilashrami, Chief Strategy & Talent Officer, was vocal about how menopause is a relevant and important topic for all industries globally and how there can be positive gains for organisations, industries, and economies if proactively addressed. Indeed, although menopausal employees are a fast-growing demographic in the workplace, they’re often faced with a lack of awareness of the issues they’re grappling with — which can have a huge impact on career progression and talent retention if there are no support mechanisms in place.

Affirming commitment and taking action

Menopause is considered a dimension of diversity by the Standard Chartered Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team (under the lenses of both generations and gender) and is also an area of focus within the Wellbeing team. Both teams are under the umbrella of Employee Advocacy, which is part of HR. While there is no formal sponsor for the menopause initiative, Kapilashrami has championed the agenda since the bank partnered with the Fawcett Society and FSSC on the initial survey.

As a signatory of the Wellbeing of Women’s Menopause Workplace Pledge, the bank formed the Menopause Working Group in 2022 to formalise its commitment to create an environment where women are free to discuss their experiences and feel supported. The group is chaired by Rebekah Heaven, Global Head – Future of Work & Advocacy Strategy, and is a cross-functional team. Members bring cultural lenses from across the bank’s diverse footprint and sit in teams such as Corporate Real Estate Services, Wellbeing, Legal, and Benefits, working closely with the DEI team. Members of the group are volunteers who are involved because of their passion and interest in raising awareness and ensuring the bank supports all people who are experiencing menopause or affected by someone experiencing menopause.

In February 2023, the FSSC held a follow-up session in London with Standard Chartered and other financial services companies. The Menopause Working Group was intentional in inviting men as well as women to attend, mindful that menopause in the workplace doesn’t just affect women. In particular, Heaven invited senior leaders who are men to attend and asked them to bring along colleagues to build their awareness. The session was very well received, with one colleague sharing that this was the most helpful session he had attended in over ten years at Standard Chartered as he had learnt so much on a topic he previously knew nothing about. Other men also reached out to ask how they could start a group for male allies. As a result, the Menopause Working Group created an allyship group with the Europe D&I Council and held a successful male ally workshop with an external speaker. The bank’s UK CEO Saif Malik began informally sponsoring this work, which established him as an important and visible male ally.

Internal culture change and impact

Standard Chartered is committed to improving the day-to-day experiences of colleagues managing menopause so they can bring their best selves to work. The Menopause Working Group continually examines ways in which it can better equip line managers to assist their teams and help foster a truly supportive and inclusive workplace for all. For example:

• A Menopause Conversation Guide was developed by the DEI team and championed by the Menopause Working Group to equip managers with tools and resources to have courageous conversations.
• An internal podcast was developed on menopause.
• Ongoing education and awareness events are hosted globally with the Menopause Working Group identifying and recommending external speakers.

In addition, each member of the Menopause Working Group acts as a menopause champion and helps to raise awareness of the initiative among other colleagues in their market or region. Interestingly, some markets that the Menopause Working Group thought would be resistant to talking about the topic — including India, Africa, and the UAE — have been some of the most receptive to the initiative. Male colleagues at all levels and regions throughout the organisation, as well, have been strong allies and extremely supportive — recognising the fact that menopause should matter to every one of us.

Another indicator of success is the different topics that are now being discussed more openly. Since many employees have become used to talking about menopause, it is not uncommon now to hear conversations about other aspects of women’s health, including fertility and polycystic ovaries.

One of the biggest impacts the initiative has had is the retention of top talent, specifically women in senior positions who either didn’t connect their symptoms to menopause or who weren’t comfortable sharing them with colleagues. Raising awareness of this issue has not only allowed Standard Chartered to retain talent, but also to build a reputation as an employer that cares about the wellbeing of every colleague. Addressing menopause in the workplace has become part of the employee value proposition for the company.

Global menopause benefits

A menopause provision has been added to Standard Chartered’s benefits globally, available to all employees regardless of their geographical location. This is important not only so that all employees are ensured equal treatment, but also because in places such as the UAE and Africa menopause is very expensive to treat medically. The global benefits were rolled out in 2023 and were added onto policies as they came up for renewal.

Other initiatives to support colleagues include:

• Period products in all office washrooms.
• Separate sessions by gender in India so that everyone feels comfortable participating.
• Ability to request a fan for an office desk.
• Opportunities to use sick leave, special leave, and compassionate leave, as needed, for menopause symptoms.

Significantly, since Standard Chartered is a completely hybrid workplace with no mandated days when employees must be in the office, employees can work from home as needed — be it to manage their own symptoms or offer support to a family member.

Next steps and challenges

The Menopause Working Group has plans for continuing its work, including:

• Continuing to host events. World Menopause Day, recognised annually on 18 October, garners a lot of attention, yet ongoing awareness is also important to sustain momentum.
• Focusing on the intersectional aspects of how menopause affects people from both a cultural and medical perspective.
• Exploring ways different groups within the bank can help provide more personalised support such as the opportunity to speak with a trained person.
• Raising awareness about other hormonal cycles aside from menopause, such as menstruation and fertility.

One challenge the Menopause Working Group faces is how it can encourage ongoing engagement with all these topics, especially among younger women across the organisation and those working in the US, where there is stigma around discussing menopause. Without making this a mandated program, the Menopause Working Group wants to be sure it is raising awareness with everybody.

Another challenge is creating a more formal measurement of how benefits are utilised. When they are first rolled out and accessed, there is a flurry of excitement. However, in respecting confidentiality, it can be hard to determine how widespread the adoption of resources is.

Continue to make progress

Cultivating a culture of compassion and normalising conversations around menopause are essential in facilitating employees’ journeys through this life stage, particularly within societal contexts where such discussions remain taboo. Companies are making progress: just over half of financial services firms in the UK now demonstrate senior leadership support in addressing issues surrounding menopause in the workplace.⁹ Menopause is not just a women’s issue. Menopause transition is an important topic that matters to everyone.

Getting started: Building a successful menopause strategy

Normalise the conversation

• Enlist allies, including men, to support organisational efforts to start conversations and reduce stigma around menopause.
• Attend or offer to host events related to menopause both internally and externally to raise awareness and further the discussion.
• Provide educational material on your company’s intranet or post in company breakrooms or other visible locations.

Integrate menopause into other programs

• Include other stakeholders early in the process who will be key in crafting a successful and thoughtful menopause strategy.
  • Menopause should be an important consideration in your organisation’s DEI policy.
  • People and culture teams should be enlisted to help craft employee benefits related to menopause.
  • Employee Resource Groups can be enlisted to help plan events and educate employees.
• Offer counselling services or consultations with experts through your Employee Assistance Program.

Don’t forget frontline employees

• Employees working onsite should be included in conversations about the support they may need. Some common requests include:
  • Expanded sick leave and flexible working arrangements.
    • Consider giving employees several smaller breaks instead of offering one large one.
  • Fans, cooling rooms, and/or private rooms.
  • Easy access to restrooms.
  • Cold water, towels, and tissues to help with perspiration.
  • Uniforms, if required, made of technical or breathable fabric.

By integrating thoughtful measures around menopause, organisations can support employees and help build a stronger pipeline to senior leadership by retaining women through this life stage.

Endnotes

1. Patterson, J. (2020, February 24). It’s time to start talking about menopause at work. Harvard Business Review.

2. Burden, L. (2021, June 18). Women are leaving the workforce for a little-talked-about reason. Bloomberg.

3. Tinebra, M. (2024, April 12). How to build a menopause-inclusive workplace. Forbes.

4. Reitz, M., Bolton, M., & Emslie, K. (2020, February 4). Is menopause a taboo in your organization? Harvard Business Review.

5. Manzi, C., Sorgente, A., Reverberi, E., Tagliabue, S., & Gorli, M. (2021). Double jeopardy – Analyzing the combined effect of age and gender stereotype threat on older workers. Frontiers in Psychology, 11.

6. Duffett, J. (2023). Inclusion at every stage: Addressing gendered ageism: Topic overview. Catalyst.

7. Kale, S. (2021, August 17). ‘My bosses were happy to destroy me’ – the women forced out of work by menopause. Guardian.

8. Menopause in the workplace: Progress and priorities. (April 2023). Standard Chartered and Financial Services Skills Commission.

9. Menopause in the workplace: Progress and priorities. (April 2023). Standard Chartered and Financial Services Skills Commission.

The post Menopause support in the workplace is smart business appeared first on Catalyst.

Today, Resch is the inaugural President of the Women’s National Basketball Association Toronto franchise, which will begin playing in the 2026 season. Previously, she was a senior leader at the Toronto Raptors men’s basketball team for 11 seasons, programmed basketball for 104 locations of Life Time Fitness, and began her career in International Basketball Operations at the NBA League Office.

“If you can see it, you can be it,” said Vanessa Lewerentz, moderator of the afternoon keynote panel at Catalyst Honours on 7 October 2024 in Toronto. Chief Inclusion Officer for BMO Financial Group, Lewerentz interviewed Teresa Resch and Sarah Nurse, two trailblazing women working for equal opportunities and reshaping Canadian athletics in the session “Leveling the Playing Field: Canadian Women’s Sports and the Pursuit of Equity.”

For Resch, this was true. She discussed a college experience at a national tournament when she became aware of a career path in sports organizations. “It was the first time I ever saw a job in sports that wasn’t a coach or a player and it really opened my eyes to the opportunity to work in sports,” she said. Unlike [Sarah] Nurse, Resch knew she wasn’t going to be a professional athlete but before that experience she didn’t know the options.

Equity in women’s sports is improving and diversity is good for business, Resch explained. “People in sports are looking for any sort of competitive advantage. And what became very, very clear is when you have women and people with diverse mindsets impacting your decision-making, that elevated your performance.”

Creating safe spaces and increasing visibility

To achieve gender diversity and gender equality in sports, you need to create workplaces that support them, according to Sarah Nurse, a record-breaking ice hockey Olympic Gold and Silver medalist who plays for the Canadian Women’s National Team and the Professional Women’s Hockey League Toronto Franchise. A champion of change, she was integral in developing a single, viable professional women’s ice hockey league in North America.

Nurse spoke about “creating spaces in sports where women actually feel comfortable and safe. Because I know for myself for so long growing up, I didn’t feel welcome in a lot of sporting events and even talking about sports because I always got really talked down to. And I know what I’m talking about when I talk about hockey, but a lot of men don’t think so.”

She doesn’t want girls and female athletes today to experience that. “If they want a career in sports, if they want to be athletes, they should be respected and they should feel lifted up.” Nurse spoke about both creating safe spaces and accessibility, which she described as “being able to actually watch the product.” So even if women’s sports programs exist but aren’t broadcast or visible via marketing, public relations, and advertising, they are at a disadvantage.

“There’s a stat that basically says in women’s sports in totality, you have to invest three times as much to just be even with men’s since women’s sports are about 100 years behind,” Resch said. “Three times just to get even, not even progress.”

Investment, participation, impact

“I think for women’s sports professionally, specifically commercially in Canada, in order to succeed, we need two things: We need investment and participation. And that’s across the entire funnel,” Resch said. She then asked the audience, “Where are you spending your time and energy? Are you going to games? Are you buying tickets? Are you buying league passes? WNBA league passes are $30.”

“I’m a firm believer that no impact is small, and even just showing up, buying a league pass, buying a jersey, talking about it on social media, that makes an impact, and that’s huge, especially with startups, with things that are just getting off of the ground,” Nurse said.

Speaking about the sports industry, which was created around men’s sports, Nurse said, “If I had my way, I would rebuild the whole system.” She discussed how women’s sports could benefit from different media, storytelling, marketing, and ticket sales methods. “If we lean into that, I think women’s sports are going to be even more successful than we already are.”

“There’s still a long way to go, but it’s been great to see the trajectory change, even just during my tenure,” Resch said.

Looking out into the audience, Nurse uplifted attendees: “So, just know the work that you’re doing impacts the greater society and that ultimately uplifts us and makes these things possible.”

Want to know about next year’s Catalyst Honours? Sign up now and we’ll email you when registration goes live!

The post Taking strides toward equity in Canadian women’s sports appeared first on Catalyst.

Breaking with Tradition is diving into a topic that’s been long overlooked but is now coming to the forefront of workplace conversations: menopause. Welcome to season 1, episode 6.

According to Catalyst’s recent report, nearly three-quarters (72%) of employees have hidden their menopause symptoms at work. Additionally, 36% perceive a stigma against talking about menopause in the workplace. With celebrities like Naomi Watts and Michelle Obama also speaking out, menopause is no longer overlooked in the culture at large—so why should it be in the workplace?

Join Catalyst’s Victoria Kuketz as she speaks with Janet Ko, President and Co-Founder, The Menopause Foundation of Canada to bust some myths about menopause and flip the workplace taboo on its head. Learn why it’s an essential issue for companies to address and how the stigma impacts women’s earning potential and career trajectories.

Take the first step to join the movement. Learn how your organization can get involved and create a more inclusive work environment for everyone.

Host and guest

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Janet Ko is President and Co-Founder of The Menopause Foundation of Canada, a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to breaking the silence and the stigma of menopause. Together with co-founder Trish Barbato and a medical advisory board of the country’s top menopause specialists, she launched the Menopause Foundation of Canada to lead a national conversation on menopause and to advocate for concrete action to improve women’s health.

Janet has held numerous leadership roles including Senior Vice President, Communications in the global life sciences and senior care sectors. She is dedicated to helping women thrive through their menopausal years and is a passionate speaker and menopause advocate. Janet is honoured to be one of the top 25 Women of Influence Award recipients for 2023.

LinkedIn

In this episode

• 1:35 | Tell us about yourself! Janet tells us about her health journey and what led her to co-founding the Menopause Foundation of Canada.
• 3:52 | Workplace taboos: from mental health to menopause. Why does something that impacts millions of employees remain so stigmatized?
• 6:34 | Let’s bust some myths! Menopause looks different for everyone—and a large knowledge gap exists.
• 10:12 | Women spend half their lives in menopause. How can women be more proactive about their health at this time?
• 14:59 | Menopause stigma costs the economy $3.5 billion. Janet breaks down the staggering economic and career impact for women.
• 17:43 | How to get started. Take the first step to supporting women impacted by menopause in your workplace.
• 20:59 | BONUS: Creating new traditions. Janet flips our last question on its head.

Favorite moments

• 4:21 | Janet: [Menopause] has been a taboo subject not just in workplaces, but everywhere. I think one of the significant reasons driving that is the reality of ageism that disproportionately has a negative impact on women. Women, as we get older, there’s this view that we’re in a stage of decline. That doesn’t happen to men necessarily.
• 5:15 | Janet: As organizations focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, looking at how they can retain top talent, supporting women to break through the glass ceiling… You cannot consider those factors without looking at supporting women at this stage of life in the prime of their career.
• 8:07 | Janet: A myth that I would love to break is that menopause is about period changes, hot flashes, and the end of your reproductive life. While that is true, focusing on just those things really does women this tremendous disservice. And it keeps us all in the dark about what menopause truly is, which is this profound hormonal shift that happens in midlife that can impact every organ in your body, because we have estrogen receptors all over the body.
• 9:28 | Janet: I’m hoping that we can change the narrative in our conversation, from menopause being something that you don’t look forward to, to shifting it to something that’s very positive, an important milestone where we recognize and honor women for stepping into the peak of their lives, where they have the most wisdom, experience, and contributions to make.
• 11:37 | Janet: It’s about time that we empower ourselves with knowledge, which I think is happening thanks to generation X. Gen X women will be the last women to be in the dark about menopause. And we know that the Millennials and the generations after us, their expectations of an experience at work, their openness and willingness to share is quite different from previous generations. So, we are going to definitely see a change, as we know it’s happening right now, because menopause is a hot topic and it’s turned into a movement.
• 14:18 | Janet: It is women who are demanding better care, women who are demanding a change in the conversation and the narrative. And because of our very large numbers, 10 million over the age of 40 in Canada, quarter of the workforce, we are seeing employers really step up to support women in the prime of their lives.
• 16:15 | Janet: You have to recognize that menopause intersects with that critical career stage between the ages of 45 and 55, where women are assuming greater leadership roles. And if you do not understand the changes that are happening to you, and you’re struggling with symptoms… You can have years of struggling and not being at your best… Employers cannot afford to lose their expertise, their wisdom, their leadership, their knowledge.
• 18:16 | Janet: One of the first things that employers can do, which isn’t a heavy lift, is to break the conversation, change your culture and your communications, really focusing on normalizing this topic.
• 20:13 | Janet: Reasonable accommodations, looking at your policies, all of those things can make a big, big difference… Women are really just looking for some openness in the workplace, some respect for what they’re experiencing, greater flexibility, and choice as they go through this.
• 22:18 | Janet: I truly believe that menopause is a disruptor in a woman’s life. You know, it’s a great moment for you to take a breath, to prioritize yourself, to reflect on who you are and who you want to be. Women end up doing amazing things in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond… We just have to make sure that our health is there to allow us to achieve that.

Mentioned on the Pod

• Menopause Foundation of Canada: Menopause – What Everyone Should Know
• Menopause Foundation of Canada: Menopause Inclusive Workplace Playbook
• Menopause Foundation of Canada: Menopause Works Here campaign

Research you can use

• Stop the stigma: Addressing menopause in the workplace
• Menopause support helps attract and retain top talent
• Why Pay Attention to Women’s Health – What ERGs Can Do
• Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace (Supporter Only)

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The post Episode 106: From Taboo to Topical: Menopause in the Workplace appeared first on Catalyst.