Leading with Compassion: Supporting Women’s Health in the Workplace through Digital Innovation

The all new Roundtable Area at HETT hosted an insightful conversation on women’s health in the workplace. Led by Tulsi Patel, Director of Product at Hertility, the session brought together delegates keen to explore how compassionate leadership and digital innovation can meaningfully improve the experiences of women across the workforce.  

Tulsi opened the discussion by highlighting the persistent barriers women face in professional environments, especially within male dominated fields. In areas such as surgery, workplace culture often defaults to male norms, leading many women to feel pressured to adopt more traditionally masculine traits in order to progress. This cultural mismatch affects not only career progression but also day-to-day wellbeing. 

A central theme was the widespread lack of awareness around women’s health needs. Tulsi noted that even departments delivering services to women frequently overlook the impact of menstrual cycles, maternity needs, and other health considerations on staff. Delegates discussed how many workplace adjustments already exist but remain hidden from those who could benefit, simply because the information is not clearly communicated or embedded within organisational culture. 

Working conditions often exacerbate the issue. Tulsi shared examples from clinical settings where staff are unable to hydrate or take appropriate breaks during long procedures, illustrating how workplace demands can negatively affect health. This disconnect between frontline realities and leadership understanding reflects a broader cultural deficit that compassionate leadership aims to address. 

The group also explored the organisational cost of inaction. When women’s health needs go unsupported, businesses face increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and the expense of hiring additional cover. Tulsi stressed that these material costs are often underestimated due to organisational blind spots, making the case for better data collection and improved visibility of health-related challenges. 

Delegates acknowledged the difficulty of advocating for change. Tulsi spoke candidly about the frustration of feeling like progress requires pushing against a brick wall, particularly for women of colour who must continually prove their value in the face of racism and systemic inequities. They also noted how conversations about cost-effectiveness can fall flat in organisations focused solely on short-term numbers rather than long-term gains. 

Despite these challenges, the discussion emphasised the power of speaking up and the vital role of allyship. Tulsi encouraged individuals to share their experiences, reminding the room that many managers simply do not know what their teams are navigating. Senior allies can play a significant role in making invisible issues visible and building long-term momentum for change. 

A pressing concern raised during the session was the significant data gap surrounding women’s health. Tulsi explained that without accurate data, organisations struggle to diagnose problems or understand disparities, especially those affecting ethnic minority groups. This gap in knowledge feeds into broader issues such as racial bias in healthcare. A family story illustrating how bias can lead to severe consequences was shared, underscoring the urgent need for better education and awareness among clinicians. 

The roundtable concluded with a collective recognition that digital health innovation has enormous potential to support change. From personalised care tools to platforms that make health adjustments visible and accessible, technology can empower employees while helping leaders measure impact and strengthen workplace culture. 

This session brought clarity to the importance of leading with compassion, grounding policies in empathy, and embracing digital solutions that respect and reflect the real experiences of women at work. It served as a reminder that meaningful change is possible when organisations choose to listen, learn, and act with intention. 

Join the Conversation at the Leaders’ Summit 

To deepen your understanding of compassionate leadership and digital innovation in health, don’t miss the upcoming HETT Leaders’ Summit taking place on 12th February at Royal Armouries in Leeds. It’s an unmissable opportunity to hear from inspiring leaders, share insights, and drive real change in your organisation.