50% of women in the UK report having a long-standing health condition, and more working-age people report long-term health conditions than ever before. Almost half of the UK population (45.7% of men and 50.1% of women) reported having a long-standing health problem. The statistics are eye-opening.
So, how can workplaces support women affected? And what can women do to support themselves?
Chronic health challenges have the capacity to change our personal and working worlds entirely. And the statistics show chronic conditions disproportionately affect women- E.g. "Women spend 25% more time in "poor health" than men."
We’re thrilled to have been able to sit down with AllBright member, Natalia Kasnakidis, Founder of The Limitless Collective, to talk about her journey learning to navigate a chronic health condition, and delve into how these challenges can impact women’s careers, and what workplaces should be doing to support them.
The learning curve to living with this unexpected change is a demanding one and can impact our careers as much as it impacts our mental and physical health. But through these challenges, we can also find inspiration, determination, and an entirely new path to success, an ethos Natalia truly embodies.
Natalia was diagnosed with genetic tissue disorder Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) at age 21. Always a high career performer, juggling both her work and wellbeing was initially a struggle, with Natalia describing the learning curve as ‘steep’. Trying to juggle everything came at the cost of quality of life, and Natalia found herself struggling to showcase her true potential in a workplace that valued ‘presenteeism’ over performance.
“Eventually I realised I had to play my own game. I learnt to work smarter, not just harder – rebuilding my health and confidence, whilst achieving my career ambitions and making work work for me.”
It was the realisation that a health condition does not need to define a person, or their entire life that led Natalia to start The Limitless Collective, to help other women find the same balance and fulfilment Natalia managed to carve out for herself.
“50% of women in the UK report having a long-standing health condition. As I started sharing my story, women started reaching out to me with theirs and I realised just how many are struggling in silence.
Having a health condition doesn’t change who you are, how capable you are or the ambitions you have for your career. I spent years trying to hide it and "get by" to avoid being passed up for opportunities but this meant I wasn't able to work in the ways that worked best for me, or perform to my true potential.”
Natalia explains how her experiences left her wanting to help other women succeed in a way that’s sustainable for their wellbeing. Drawing from psychology, wellbeing, and career development principles to help ambitious and talented women with health conditions or disabilities not only build their skills and strategies, but also their confidence. The Limitless Collective helps women fulfil their true potential, achieve their goals and live full lives that work for them and their wellbeing.
Challenges faced by women with chronic health conditions in the workplace
Natalia explains that the first challenge is adjusting to what is, essentially, a brand new lifestyle, including changing the ways in which you work. But it can also mean dealing with new frustrations, anxieties, and fears. Natalia explains to us that she initially dealt with a lot of fear about falling behind, being passed up for opportunities, and coping in the long-term, but also just being believed by others or whether she’d ever feel like her true self again.
A big question you’re faced with is whether you tell your employer. Do you disclose and risk discrimination, or even privacy concerns? Or do you struggle in silence? With so much taboo around this topic and so few relatable role models, women can find themselves with nowhere to turn and begin doubting what’s possible for their careers
This also comes down to making sure you’re in the right environment for you.
“Policies like flexible working can be fantastic but what’s most important is how effectively they’re implemented and the reality of how you’re supported day to day. Look for somewhere that’s willing to listen, learn and adapt – to help you find solutions together.”
Workplaces that aren’t both accommodating and understanding of your challenges can erode not only your confidence and self-worth, but also your earning potential and progression. This can create a vicious cycle that keeps women stuck in toxic workplace environments.
But how should we feel more empowered in the face of these challenges?
Natalia recommends finding creative ways to shape your working environment to your needs, strengths and ambitions. Crucially, these are things you can do without waiting for a diagnosis – which, for many women, can take months or even years. Yet so many high-achieving women try to push through, feeling undeserving of help or unable to ask for it. “Get yourself the right support!” says Natalia, “Find a supportive organisation, agree reasonable adjustments and apply for an Access to Work grant – which can fund equipment, software and strategy coaching to help you feel and perform at your best.”
But the responsibility isn’t just on the individual. In a world where 12.8 million and counting adults of working age suffer from chronic conditions , workplaces must shoulder some of the responsibility too. So, what should workplaces be doing?
Natalia stresses the importance of breaking down taboos whilst also being proactive and transparent in their support, understanding that not everyone feels ready to disclose details about their condition, or confident to explain what they need.
“Make it easy for people to work in ways that work for them and access care quickly – for example, offering flexible working options as standard and benefits like private healthcare.” For many women, small, practical changes can make a significant difference to how they feel and perform at work by allowing them to manage their health more effectively.
Role modelling from senior leaders also plays a huge part in creating a culture that recognises wellbeing as integral to high performance and empowers women to prioritise it.
68% of employees felt their organisation actively promotes good wellbeing, walking the walk and not just talking is important. Workplaces as a whole need to do better.
Lastly, an important thing for any women facing chronic health challenges to remember is that these challenges do not define who you are, and they certainly don’t define your ambition. In Natalia’s words “many of these women are some of the most driven, resourceful and resilient I’ve ever met – and are often the ones driving positive change towards a healthier workplace for everyone. I’d love to see more organisations recognising the unique strengths, perspectives and skillsets that they can bring to a team and to leadership roles.”