Raising Awareness and Driving Change – One Conversation at a Time

Workplaces have an extraordinary opportunity to be agents of change when it comes to endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain. By increasing awareness, they not only improve understanding but also help dismantle stigma, influence policy, foster empathy, and build supportive cultures.

Why Awareness Matters

Endometriosis affects 1 in 7 people assigned female at birth, many of whom suffer in silence. With delays in diagnosis averaging 6 to 8 years, workplaces can play a vital role in recognising signs and reducing isolation.

When awareness is low, people may:

• Mask their pain or symptoms out of fear of being disbelieved

• Avoid asking for flexible work arrangements or adjustments

• Experience burnout, presenteeism, or eventually leave the workforce

But when awareness is high, people are more likely to:

• Access the support and resources they need

• Share their needs confidently with managers and colleagues

• Thrive in their roles, knowing their health is not a barrier to belonging

How to Raise Awareness in Your Workplace

Raising awareness doesn’t require massive budgets or top-down campaigns. Sometimes the most impactful actions start with grassroots conversations or small cultural shifts.

Here are proven ways to begin:

Host an Endo-Friendly Morning Tea Invite your team to a QENDO workplace awareness session. These events combine education, lived experience storytelling, and Q&A time.

Share Resources Use posters, the "Know the Signs" desk card, and stories in your internal newsletter to start meaningful conversations.

Nominate a Workplace Ally Identify someone in your branch who can be a point of contact for support, training, and resource-sharing. Allies can also be trained by QENDO.

Promote the ManageEndo Online Program Encourage staff to explore QENDO’s ManageEndo platform—covering 30+ topics with expert content designed to educate, empower, and guide self-management.

Integrate Awareness into Calendar Events Leverage key dates such as International Women’s Day, Endometriosis Awareness Month (March), or Mental Health Week to highlight endometriosis as part of broader workplace wellbeing.

Sustaining Change Beyond a Single Event

Awareness should be embedded in everyday workplace culture—not limited to a once-a-year campaign. Here’s how to make it stick:

Review Policies Annually Apply a reproductive health lens to leave, flexibility, and adjustment policies. Ask: Are our policies inclusive? Do they mention conditions like endometriosis?

Measure and Report Participation Track attendance at training sessions, pulse surveys on staff inclusion, and feedback from staff with chronic conditions.

Encourage Feedback and Storytelling Invite lived experience perspectives into strategy conversations. Anonymous submissions, case studies, or video stories can be powerful and safe.

Final Call to Action

If you know 7 women, you know someone with endometriosis.

Ask yourself:

• Would they feel safe to disclose?

• Would their manager recognise the signs?

• Would the team respond with empathy and action?

You don’t need to be a doctor or HR expert to make a difference. You just need to be willing to listen, learn, and lead.

📍 Visit www.qendo.org.au/resources for free downloadable tools. 

📍 Refer to QENDO’s Nurse Navigator and Helpline for personalised guidance. 

📍 Use the Fair Work Ombudsman site to stay informed on workplace rights.

Let’s make every workplace an endo-informed workplace—one action, one ally, one conversation at a time.