Rebekah is the Founder and Head of Research of co-invention community MPOWDER, a company dedicated to delivering transformational insight as well as innovation to ensure females can flourish during life’s biggest biochemical transitions. A narrative researcher by trade, with over 20 years’ experience listening to people and shaping products and services to respond to their wants and needs, MPOWDER’s philosophy is driven by innate curiosity, deep respect for science and medical insight as well as emerging research pointing to the potential of traditional medicine and complementary therapies.
We are delighted that Rebekah will be speaking in Austin as part of our US summit. We caught up with her to see how she’s feeling in the runup to the event.
Hi Rebekah, as a leader based in the region, what are the main challenges you are facing when it comes to employee wellbeing and mental health?
MPOWDER was born out of frustration at a world slow to recognise the phenomenal wisdom and value we bring as we age and slow to address societal systems and structures that continue to see females as ‘other’ or a problem to be fixed. Within the realm of work, failing to facilitate equitable environments has significant economical impact; hurting businesses in the here and now, but also limiting the opportunities for younger females entering work unable to see their future selves thrive.
Although menopause is being discussed in corporate corridors, our research shows the challenge of getting ‘menopause at work’ initiatives right and the damage that can occur when you don’t.
What strategies have you seen developing over the past 6 months, both internally and externally, that are moving the dial on wellbeing in the workplace?
In the 4 years since MPOWDER began offering our much loved Hormone House Parties to reframe menopause for individuals and within the workplace, we’ve seen growing recognition for the need to focus on the value females bring, at every life-stage, rather than the challenges they face.
We believe the answer to delivering the support females need and the insight their colleagues want is to invest first and foremost in empathy and inclusion, for everyone.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
Cultivating a sense of belonging is critical for businesses and for the wellbeing of us all. As a community born during COVID and operating digitally with a fully remote workforce, we’ve witnessed a strong demand for in-real-life connections in the last 12 months that is changing both how we support our employees and our community members.
Rebekah will be speaking in Austin at the Wellbeing at Work Summit US which takes place in New York, Austin Texas and virtually. Further details on the Summit can be found here.
