Workplace Case Study: PwC Canada

Sonia Boisvert, Partner and Assurance leader of PwC's Greater Montréal office.
photo credit: ©Bénédicte Brocard (CNW Group/PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers))

“At any time, it is likely that over 15% of our female workforce are experiencing the menopause transition. We need to foster a culture of empathy, respect, and flexibility that ensures we support women as they navigate this phase while empowering them to continue to contribute to their full potential.”

Sonia Boisvert, Partner & Chief People Officer, PwC Canada

The Organization:

Number of employees in Canada: 7083

Percentage of employees who are women, age 40+: 16% (1,050)

PwC Canada is one of Canada’s largest professional services firms, offering a wide range of services including audit and assurance, tax, deals, and consulting on a wide range of key workforce issues. PwC globally operates in 151 countries with 360,000 employees worldwide, leveraging the expertise of its people to provide quality services that help solve important problems.

How PwC is taking action:

Launched a Menopause Strategy in April 2024 to compliment the range of initiatives offered to employees for other personal circumstances and life stages.
Initiated a review of benefits, policies and programs, which concluded the offerings were already menopause inclusive. Examples include:
- Prescription drug coverage of menopause hormone therapy, antidepressants, etc.
- Paramedical coverage of physiotherapy, naturopathy, massage therapy, acupuncture, physiotherapy, etc., and mental health benefits such as cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia.
- Flexible personal spending account for health products and services, education and personal development, and professional services to meet each employees’ unique needs, covering activities like wellness retreats, life coaching, nutrition services, etc.
- Virtual Health Care, which is particularly helpful for those without family doctors.
- A newly enhanced Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) that includes Total Mental Health. Employees can use the resources independently or with the help of a counsellor, and Care Navigators are also available to guide them through the available programs and benefits, including personalized care plans.
- A variety of Flexible Work arrangements, both formal and informal. A good example is Flexitime where people can stagger their start and end times, so for example, someone experiencing insomnia may choose a later start time
Created a dedicated section on its intranet that includes internal and external resources and tools, along with links to the company’s menopause inclusive benefits and programs. The website also includes coaching resources for managers to guide them in supporting staff.
Launched a monthly, volunteer-led Menopause Talking Circle, a friendly forum for people at all stages of their menopause journey to share stories, ask questions, and exchange tips. Limited to 35 people/session, spots have filled fast with a wait list. After the first session, an online, interactive community space on Microsoft Teams was launched to continue the conversation, and people have been sharing articles, asking questions, and offering support.

Advice from PwC for organizations seeking to become menopause inclusive:

1

A benefits and policy review is a crucial first step, and may not require much, if any, change.

Don’t hesitate to take a critical look at your benefits and policies with the lens of menopause inclusivity because you think it will result in complex change or added cost. There may well be opportunities for improvement, but your existing programs may cover many of the core supports for this life stage.
2

Effective change starts at the top.

Having visible support at the most senior levels of the organization makes a huge difference in creating psychological safety and giving permission to employees to talk openly about menopause. PwC’s Menopause Strategy came directly at the request of CEO Nicolas Marcoux and Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner for People and Partnership Alaina Tennison, along with Sonia Boisvert, Chief People Officer, co-hosting the firmwide kick off.
3

Include men in the conversation.

It’s important, because they are colleagues and oftentimes managers, and it matters how women are received when talking about menopause in the workplace. Along with Nicolas Marcoux, partners, both men and women, from across the country have become involved either as panelists sharing their stories or by volunteering for other initiatives.

The Impact

What employees are saying about PwC’s menopause-focused programs:

“Just opening the conversation about menopause made PwC women at this life stage feel seen. So many women expressed gratitude and pride that PwC was talking about menopause. They reported that they felt less alone and really appreciated the knowledge sharing.”

Lisa Rosen,
Director, Total Rewards,
PwC Canada