New survey data point to persistent gaps in workplace support
Pfizer Canada, Migraine Canada and Migraine Québec have relaunched their annual “Out of Office for Migraine Awareness” campaign for a third consecutive year, drawing attention to how the return to in-office work has intensified challenges for more than five million Canadians living with migraine — a neurological condition among the world’s leading causes of disability.
Timed to Migraine Awareness Month in June, the campaign encourages Canadians to set an out-of-office auto-reply for four hours — the minimum duration of a single migraine attack — to show solidarity with affected colleagues. It coincides with newly released survey data from Migraine Canada and Migraine Québec indicating that significant workplace support gaps persist.
A growing global burden
Migraine is not a minor inconvenience. According to the World Health Organization’s Global Health Estimates 2021, migraine is the third-leading cause of disability-adjusted life years worldwide, behind stroke and neonatal encephalopathy.
Workplace impacts are also significant. A survey of more than 33,000 employees at a large US health system, conducted between November 2024 and January 2025, found that workers who screened positive for migraine lost an estimated 10.12 productive days per year.
Return-to-office pressures
Campaign organizers say the shift back to shared workplaces has added new barriers for those living with migraine.
Wendy Gerhart, executive director of Migraine Canada, said the organization has seen growing reports of anxiety linked to returning to office environments, a trend reflected in 2026 survey findings.
“Proactive accommodations and flexible arrangements are not just perks — they are essential tools for retaining talented employees and enabling them to work to their full potential,” she said.
Dr. William Kingston, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Toronto and a neurologist at Sunnybrook Hospital, said workplace conditions can directly influence symptoms.
“Exposure to environmental factors like fluorescent lighting and strong scents can lower the threshold for an attack,” he said. “Employers working with someone to adjust to a more favourable work environment can prove to be a huge benefit to a person with migraine.”
Disproportionate impact on women
Women are three times more likely to develop migraine than men, with the condition often peaking during prime working years.
Tiffany Eichhorst, a patient advocate from British Columbia, said migraine ended her nursing career.
“This isn’t just about debilitating pain and many other invisible symptoms that affect daily life; it’s about careers being impacted and people having to make difficult choices between their health and their profession,” she said.
Stigma and workplace silence
Advocates say stigma continues to prevent many workers from seeking support.
Susan Cape, a patient advocate with Migraine Canada, said many people with migraine expend significant effort concealing symptoms at work.
“The simple act of reaching out and saying, ‘I sense you’re struggling, and do you need some support,’ can be all someone needs,” she said.
A scoping review published in January 2026 found that targeted workplace interventions — including stress management programs, workload adjustments and flexible scheduling — are key to reducing migraine-related productivity losses.
Frédéric Lavoie, Pfizer Canada’s specialty care and internal medicine business lead, is encouraging organizations to survey their own employees on migraine support needs.
“This campaign offers a vital opportunity to shed light on the profound, often unseen consequences of migraine,” he said.
