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The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company and The Canada Life Assurance Company have become one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company. Discover the new Canada Life

The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company and The Canada Life Assurance Company have become one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company. Discover the new Canada Life

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Freedom 55 Financial is a division of The Canada Life Assurance Company and the information you requested can be found here.

Supporting women in the workplace

Key takeaways

  • Women may face unique challenges in the workplace.
  • Employers can support women in the workplace in many ways, including offering flexible working and a benefits plan that caters for their individual needs.

According to Statistics Canada, there were 9.6 million women employed in Canada as of September 2023. In a total workforce of 20.2 million people, this means women make up nearly half the working people in our country today.

While all employees benefit from a supportive workplace, there are certain elements that come with women’s lived experiences that employers might need to take into consideration as they work to create an environment where everyone can thrive.

What challenges can women face in the workplace?

Work-life balance

According to Deloitte’s Women @ Work report for 2024, less than half of women feel supported by their employer when it comes to balancing their jobs with commitments outside of work, like caring for children or elderly parents. These responsibilities disproportionately fall on women’s shoulders.

Stress

That same survey found that half of women report their stress levels are higher than they were in 2023. The same proportion of women also said they were worried about their mental health. One reason for this may be the care burden noted earlier.

Gender inequality

While progress has been made, women still lag behind their male peers in the workplace, earning less on average and saving less for retirement. For single women, this can be exacerbated by the fact they are the sole income earner.

How can employers support women in the workplace?

This isn’t a complete list, but here are a few ways you might consider supporting the women at your organization.

Consider a flexible workplace

Offering flexibility in how and where your employees work may help foster better work-life balance.

Offer a benefits plan

Offering a workplace benefits plan can help employees manage some of the health concerns that are unique to women, like menopause.

With a benefits plan, you can also offer support by providing:

  • Access to an employee assistance program (EAP) with programs for physical activity and stress management counselling. 
  • A health care spending account or wellness account that offers coverage flexibility for individual needs. 
  • Access to a virtual health care service like Consult+ to answer non-urgent medical concerns, provide advice and write prescriptions without having to leave home or work. 
  • Access to Teladoc Medical Experts. Explore how this offering can support the unique needs of women with this Women’s Health Guide | PDF 9 MB.

What’s next?

  • Consider asking your employees, “What can we do to support you so you can bring your best?”
  • Discover how Canada Life can help you support your employees. If you don’t already have one, consider offering a benefits plan that supports the needs of your employees

The information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the date of publication, but rules and interpretations may change. This information is general in nature, and is intended for informational purposes only. For specific situations you should consult the appropriate legal, health, accounting or tax professional.