Organon Canada is marking International Women’s Day by giving all employees a paid day off to reflect on the workplace gender disparities that have grown since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Litsa Spiridonakos, director of human resources at the women’s health-care company, says the response to the paid day off — including how it aligns with the company’s values — has been very well received, noting 70 per cent of Organon’s employees are women.
“[Employees] are sharing their stories with how they want to spend their day, such as spending time with loved ones. We have an employee who takes care of her mother, so not having that stress of running back and forth and being able to spend time with her is very positive.”
The day off is part of a wider initiative focusing on wellness and flexibility. This includes access to the Calm app to help employees manage stress and mental health, as well as access to childcare and financial planners and one half-day off per week. And with the pandemic highlighting the issue of domestic abuse, Organon is also providing training and resources to all managers to support their employees.
The company’s focus on flexibility is also reflected in its hybrid work policy, says Michael Casia, president and managing director at Organon. He notes a recent survey by the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation found 63 per cent of women said pandemic stress was negatively impacting their health.
“Because the majority of our employees are women, it was important to take into account this impact. We’re not asking employees to come in [to the office] unless there’s a reason and we’re giving them flexibility around how they manage their personal lives. . . . Working parents — and women in particular — have had to make difficult decisions, such as downshifting their career or dealing with added stress, [during the pandemic].”
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