Bring Your Biology to Work
In Episode 56 of Why Care?, I had the pleasure of chatting to Geeta Sidhu-Robb, award-winning entrepreneur, political candidate, and the visionary Founder of WCorp. In the episode, we touch on everything from redefining leadership, Geeta’s experience of financial struggles, to the story of her daughter’s workplace discrimination that led to her launching WCorp at the United Nations. Geeta’s concept of a “woman’s workplace” existing alongside a “man’s workplace” necessitates a deeper dive into what that looks like in practice. Are workplaces systematically designed to favour one gender, and what is the long and short-term impact on organisations?
Are workplaces designed for men?
The standard 9-to-5, five-day work week was conceived in the early 20th century, a time when gender roles were rigid and women were largely absent from the workforce. Remarkably, it has changed very little since. Today’s 40-hour work week was designed on the assumption that employees had no additional responsibilities - such as caregiving - or biological needs, like menstrual cycles. In many ways, the workplace still fails to accommodate the evolving needs of modern men and, even more so, those of women.
Building on this, modern workplace policies continue to overlook the differing needs of women and men. Women are more likely to experience pain from biological factors such as menstrual cycles or menopause, yet they still receive the same number of paid sick leave days as men. Taking time off for periods, childbirth, or caregiving duties remains stigmatised as a lack of commitment. Career progression often rewards uninterrupted trajectories, with promotions, leadership pipelines, and visibility favouring those who can work long hours, travel frequently, and network after work - opportunities that are far more difficult for primary caregivers, who remain predominantly women.
Why maintaining tradition is a business risk
At the most basic level, organisations thrive when their teams thrive - and teams succeed when employees do. Employee success is determined, in large part, by how organisations show up for them. When women burn out, fail to reach their full potential, or exit at mid or senior levels because the system was built for someone else, the impact ripples outward: innovation slows, efficiency drops, profits decline, and culture erodes.
Research signposts that the most future-proof organisations are forged in difference, not uniformity. McKinsey’s 2023 study demonstrated the relationship between gender-diverse leadership teams and higher financial performance. Whilst this doesn’t prove cause and effect, there is plenty of evidence that women and men bring fundamentally different lived realities and perspectives. So, ignoring that is not just a missed opportunity, it’s a structural risk.
How can leaders make their workplaces women-friendly?
Many organisations (and governments) are taking proactive steps to create workplaces that are both inclusive and efficient. Just two weeks ago, Qatar announced reduced working hours for Qatari mothers during school exam periods. In July 2024, Australia confirmed it will begin making pension contributions for workers on paid parental leave from July 2025 to help close the gender retirement gap. And in February 2023, Spain became the first European country to introduce paid menstrual leave for workers experiencing debilitating period pain due to conditions such as endometriosis.
The future of inclusive working is already being paved out successfully, and you can contribute to it in a variety of ways, including:
Greater flexibility in working hours
Additional sick leave entitlements
Redefining ideas of success and leadership
Menopause-friendly policies (temperature-controlled rooms, flexible breaks)
Fertility treatment support and medical leave
Dedicated recharge spaces such as quiet pods for rest, managing menstrual pain, stress, or fatigue
Recognising and rewarding unseen work such as emotional labour, mentoring, or culture-building
Mentorship programmes specifically designed for women, like W Corp
The future belongs to organisations that adapt early and build systems around real, changing needs.
What shifts could your organisation make to stay ahead of the curve?
How can Avenir help?
At Avenir, our Inclusive Leadership Programme equips leaders with the tools they need to foster truly inclusive workplaces.
My book, Beyond Discomfort: Why Inclusive Leadership is So Hard (and What You Can Do About It), is also an invaluable resource for learning how to harness discomfort as a catalyst for positive change and greater returns. You can grab a copy here, including an audiobook version for listening on the go.
You can also listen to more episodes of Why Care? here.