Organon announces paid leave for staff on International Women's Day

Global healthcare company Organon has announced that they’ll be providing employees with paid time off on March 8 in celebration of International Women's Day. The company's almost 9,500 workers are covered by the benefit, with Organon chief executive officer (CEO) Kevin Ali saying he hopes it would be used to employees to take care of their own health or to the women close them.

"This year, the symbolic action we are taking is to encourage all our people to spend this day off to make a commitment to their own health or the health of the women in their lives, whether that's going to the doctor, taking stock of their own wellbeing or reflecting on how to make a change," he added. "As a company investing in innovation to improve women’s health, I felt a responsibility to help address this within our own global community of almost 9,500 employees.”

Non-profit organisation HealthyWomen lauded Organon for the initiative, while also urging other employers to come up with their own policies to celebrate International Women's Day.

"As the pandemic continues to limit women's ability for self-care, we are proud of Organon for joining the movement and call on other companies to recognise International Women's Day as a day to honour women's unmet health needs," said HealthyWomen CEO Beth Battaglino in a statement.

Read more: International Women's Day: How much progress has been made?

Supporting women in workplaces

Extending physical help for women in just one of the things that employers could do to support diversity in workplaces. Previous studies have shown that women are more prone to work-related insomnia due to stress, which could have negative effects on an employee's mental and physical health.

"Organisations can support workers by working together with their staff in planning for stress as a team, co-creating a safe and accountable space, and making sure their leaders are accessible," said SuperFriend CEO Margo Lydon.

Women are also at the losing end when it comes pay gaps, according to a previous report, where it was said that is needs to be "consciously and consistently" addressed.

"The cost of a resource to analyse and look at where the pay gaps exists and how that works within an organisation is minute compared to the benefits that gender diversity brings to the workplace, and the positive impact on the bottom line. It's about thinking about the long term and the betterment of the whole company as a whole," Madeline Hill, general manager of diversity and inclusion at Randstad ANZ, previously told HRD.

According to Hill, senior stakeholders of companies will need to "work together to progress gender equality" in the workplace.

"If you don't have those senior stakeholders on board and acting as the champions of gender equality, it's going to be a real uphill battle," the official said.