The Bank of Montreal is supporting women’s health through information sessions and an enhanced resource hub.
The bank is hosting the latest session in its women’s health series at the end of March on women’s cardiovascular health, a virtual and in-person event that will discuss heart health and how it impacts women differently. Sarika Gundu, head of BMO’s Canadian benefits and enterprise recognition, says there are plans to introduce more hybrid sessions later this year as more employees return to in-person work.
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The sessions were developed in partnership between BMO’s benefits team, the bank’s Alliance for Women employee resource group and Cleveland Clinic Canada, BMO’s medical partner. Employee interest in the sessions has grown since the bank launched its women’s health strategy in 2022, she says, noting topics such as cancer, fertility, bereavement, neurodiversity and menopause and perimenopause have been very well received.
“[At the first session] we thought maybe 50 people would join and we had more than 300. Since then, we’ve had three [sessions] on menopause and perimenopause more and more women are asking for sessions on these topics. We’ve also had a session on neurodiversity conditions because women are getting diagnosed later in life with [attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder].”
BMO has also launched a women’s health page in its wellness hub that features recordings of the women’s health sessions and employee resources, including a guide on menopause in the workplace developed by the Menopause Foundation of Canada.
Information on women’s health has also resonated with the bank’s male employees, says Gundu. “Men have said, ‘I had no idea [about menopause]. No one teaches this in middle school — and you just don’t hear about this phase in life.”
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