How important is women's health at work?

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Focus on women's health issues, including menopause, fertility and pregnancy, has never been greater. Previously viewed as a hidden or taboo subject in many workplaces, a number of employees are now looking to their employer for support. The sensitive nature of these topics, however, means many individuals are still not comfortable discussing them with their employer or accessing support through their workplace. So, how can employers support this group most effectively?

Employee Benefits' webinar, in association with Peppy, will explore how important women's health is deemed to be in today's workplaces and what employers are offering in this area.

Editor Debbie Lovewell-Tuck will welcome four expert panellists for an in-depth discussion on how employers' support in this area has changed and what will be driving the agenda in 2023. Our experts include: Sam Blevins, health and wellbeing development manager at John Lewis Partnership, Debra Gardner, head of HR and ESG at LSL Property Services, Francesca Steyn, director of fertility and women's health services at Peppy, and Ellie Vaughan, head of reward and benefits at Herbert Smith Freehills.

Attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions to our panel throughout the discussion.

About our panellists

Sam Blevins is health and wellbeing development mamager at John Lewis Partnership. Sam is a qualified nurse who specialised in diabetes and respiratory conditions, before moving into occupational health. At John Lewis Partnership, Sam draws on her clinical background to focus on holistic wellbeing and how they can help people to make better choices in order to see better outcomes and help prevent many conditions. Sam has led on the organisation's approach to menopause and achieving Menopause Friendly Accreditation.

Debra Gardner is head of HR and ESG at LSL Property Services. Debra is a qualified and experienced HR director and executive coach. Her background is predominantly as a HR director in tech businesses with specialist skills in organisational design and transformation. Debra is passionate about inclusion, with a specific interest in both women in business and working parents. In her spare time, she volunteers with the CIPD as a Steps Ahead mentor supporting women back into the workplace following periods of unemployment.

Francesca Steyn is director of fertility and women’s health services at Peppy and chair of the Royal College of Nursing Fertility Nurses Forum. She has over 17 years experience as a fertility nurse specialist, both in the NHS and private sectors and has published Department of Health guidance on surrogacy best practice and care in surrogate births. As a member of the HFEA legislative reform advisory group, Francesca is working to modernise the HFE Act.

Ellie Vaughan is head of reward and benefits at Herbert Smith Freehills, a global law firm with 5,000 employees. She is responsible for compensation, benefits and wellbeing for employees and partners globally.

Ellie moved into the legal sector six years ago and prior to that spent 12 years in the not-profit sector, working in reward for large national charities. She is passionate about building comprehensive reward and benefits strategies that suit a diverse workforce and maximise employee engagement and wellbeing.