Fujitsu recently honored with first-ever IHS-GPAC award as world leader in providing migraine workplace awareness, education and support to employees.

Fujitsu Limited received recognition in March as a leader in migraine workplace awareness, education and support by the International Headache Society-Global Patient Advocacy Coalition (IHS-GPAC). In the first award of its kind, the Tokyo-based information and communication technology company earned praise for its highly successful migraine workplace education program, called the “FUJITSU Headache Project.” The company developed this program in partnership with IHS-GPAC.

The web-based education program has taught 73,000 Fujitsu employees—about 91% of its Japan workforce—about the severity of migraine and headache disorders to increase the understanding of these neurological diseases in the workplace. Since its launch in 2019, the program has shown the following results:

  • 71% of employees now understand that headache is a disease that greatly interferes with one’s daily life. This is up from about 20% before completing the program.
  • 76% of employees said that “the way they treat colleagues with headaches is likely to change” after completing the program.
  • 90% of employees said the program was beneficial.

Dr. Christine Lay, AMF Vice Chair, says she is proud AMF is an IHS-GPAC member. “Migraine education programs in the workplace are essential to increasing awareness and reducing the stigma related to migraine and headache disorders, in general,” she says. Fujitsu went a long way in showing its employees what it means to work and live with migraine every day, she adds.

Dispelling Stereotypes Through Education

Migraine workplace education programs can also help change how people view migraine (i.e., stereotypes). A study published in the Headache® Journal showed that stock images of people with migraine were mostly of thin white women with their eyes closed and hands on their temples. The reality is that migraine is the third most prevalent disease in the world. It affects more than 1 billion people globally of every age, race, gender and ethnic background.

The study also found most of the images showed people dressed casually. The reality is that migraine peaks during the most productive years of life. It happens when people are trying to advance in their careers. In fact, migraine is a huge problem in the workplace. According to study findings from Fujitsu, migraine costs the corporation 2.6 billion yen in lost productivity. This accounts for 1.1% of total annual compensation. For these reasons and more, migraine workplace education programs can help not only migraine community members, but also the people who work with them.

Migraine Fitness at Work Program Available Now

In addition to partnering with corporations like Fujitsu to spread migraine awareness, IHS-GPAC has developed a web-based migraine educational tool for employers. The “Migraine Fitness at Work” program launched in 2019 to:

  • Empower employees to seek treatment and improve their well-being
  • Reduce the stigma associated with migraine in the workplace
  • Provide support to those affected by migraine in the workplace

“We are proud of our partnership with IHS-GPAC,” says AMF Chair Dr. Lawrence Newman. “Their migraine in the workplace initiative is raising awareness and bringing much-needed education where it’s needed most.”

The Fujitsu award was announced during a special ceremony in Tokyo, where leaders from Fujitsu, IHS-GPAC, IHS and the World Federation of Neurology came together to commemorate the occasion and reveal key results from the program. Fujitsu CEO and CDXO, Takahito Tokita, accepted the award on behalf of the company.

Contact IHS-GPAC to learn more about how they can bring migraine training to your workplace: https://ihs-gpac.org/schedule-a-demo/