Endometriosis is a common, chronic condition – one in seven Australian women are affected by the disease. This struggle is more than just a personal challenge — it’s an economic drag on the entire country. Estimates suggest the economic burden of endometriosis is between $7.4 billion and $9.7 billion annually. Alarmingly, almost two-thirds of these costs are related to lost productivity from the condition’s debilitating symptoms.
52-year-old Calli Brown, a former healthcare worker, knows all too well the obstacles of balancing work with severe endometriosis. She testified about her challenging experience with the condition, and how it caused her to feel “shameful” and anxious in her workplace. The debilitating pain sometimes necessitated her calling out sick. At times, the intensity of her symptoms would make her faint.
Rachael Eleanor Hosking, a 23-year-old University of Sydney PhD student, like Martin suffers from endometriosis. Second, she raised the human toll it takes when she’s required to be on her feet for hours at a time. A 389-career survey of workers diagnosed with endometriosis revealed some shocking numbers. One out of every six respondents was fired due to their condition and one out of every three said they had been passed up for promotion.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of it. This largely unknown condition leads to chronic pain, inflammation, fertility issues as well as non-specific symptoms including fatigue and heavy bleeding. It can be a devastating condition when it is not understood in workplaces that are understanding of the condition’s challenges.
Monica Forlano, chair of the board at Endometriosis Australia, said that while awareness was important, it needed to go further. When she left, she asked, “How can we help? This was a moving rallying cry for employers and society to do more, to provide better support and more understanding to those impacted.
Brown shared her concerns about the stigma surrounding menstruation and how it has impacted her experience with endometriosis in the workplace.
“The stress compounded and it was so debilitating, there was a lot of shame, no one really talked about periods and so there wasn’t an environment that was conducive to actually talk about what was going on for you.” – Calli Brown
She illustrated the difficulty of talking about health concerns in a workplace environment. Her junior status made it more difficult to get buy-in from her peers.
“But because you’re junior and you’re female, and it’s a busy environment, and everybody is supposed to be tough… there were very few people I felt like I could turn to for support and for understanding.” – Calli Brown
This feeling struck a cord with Hosking as she recounted her own failures to articulate her needs in the workplace.
“You’re having to push it down, which then just compounds your symptoms, because you’re already really stressed.” – Calli Brown
Most employers don’t understand endometriosis. This can lead to insensitivity towards employees who are likewise suffering from the disease.
“It can be really difficult for employers to understand the severity of the condition, especially when you’re so fatigued.” – Rachel Eleanor Hosking
A recent study identified two main factors contributing to productivity loss: absenteeism (time taken off work due to illness) and presenteeism (being physically present at work but not functioning effectively because of illness). This shows that when women with endometriosis are at the workplace, their ability to contribute can be dramatically compromised.
“And when you’re fatigued, you don’t really want to tell your male manager, who will say something like ‘Oh, what’s endometriosis?’” – Rachel Eleanor Hosking
She recalled her own career experiences when the burden of masking symptoms took a toll.
Women in the same position as Brown and Hosking suffer greatly from the debilitating effects of endometriosis. This underscores the critical need for better workplace accommodations to meet their needs. Simple accommodations, like offering flexible working hours or permitting employees to step aside for pain relief, can make a world of difference.
“There’s a lot of anxiety and stigma raising your diagnosis because you are seen as potentially unreliable.” – Monica Forlano
Hosking recommended that workplace policy reforms make it easier for the millions of women who experience this condition to thrive.
“And that’s the experience that I had in my career, when managing the symptoms got so bad that I couldn’t function.” – Monica Forlano
Awareness is being raised by the recent influx of federal funding for endometriosis research. Let’s be clear, that’s not nearly enough — we have to do more. Employers must prioritize creating inclusive environments where employees feel safe discussing their health conditions without fear of stigma or reprisal.
Hosking suggested that changes in workplace policies could lead to improved outcomes for women suffering from this condition.
“Some little things will make so much difference… just so you can perform and work — that’s huge for someone with endo and they can thrive.” – Rachel Eleanor Hosking
As awareness continues to grow due to increased government contributions towards research on endometriosis, it is clear that more needs to be done. Employers must prioritize creating inclusive environments where employees feel safe discussing their health conditions without fear of stigma or reprisal.
