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About Shalene Gupta
With Harvard Business School professor Sandra J. Sucher, Shalene Gupta co-authored The Power of Trust: How Companies Build It, Lose It, Regain It. Drawing on cases from the Boeing crashes and the Volkswagen emissions scandal to Japan's Recruit Holdings, which rebounded from a massive 1980s scandal without layoffs, the book shows that genuine trust stems not from reputation management but from reliable products and services, fair treatment, good intentions and responsibility for all impacts, intended or not. "The good news is, trust can be cultivated, and lost trust can be regained," Gupta explains. "But it is a deliberate process that must be activated with intention and a commitment to open conversations."
In The Cycle: Confronting the Pain of Periods and PMDD, a mix of memoir, interviews and research, Gupta turns to premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a severe form of PMS that affects countless women's ability to function at work and in daily life. "It's clear that period stigma doesn't just hold women back. It holds us all back," she says. She offers leaders practical steps, from free sanitary products to flexible hours, for building cultures where employees of all genders can bring their whole selves to work.
Shalene's Keynote Topics
An unseen force is impacting workforce productivity and employee well-being around the world: the taboo around menstrual and mental health. Revealing the true impact of this silent burden is journalist and expert on trust in the workplace Shalene Gupta, whose new book “The Cycle” presents groundbreaking research on premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and menstrual stigma. Her insights, drawn from a unique blend of personal experience, interviews and research, unveil how period-related issues not only affect individual employees, but also influence global economic trends. Empathetic and highly relatable, Gupta shares practical, stigma-breaking strategies to foster more inclusive, understanding work environments. As she explains, making these changes isn’t about creating comfort—it’s about unlocking potential and adding value. Gupta’s approach shows leaders how to build a workplace culture that recognizes and celebrates every aspect of employee well-being, paving the way for heightened productivity, improved employee morale and a substantial economic impact.
Trust isn’t merely a nice-to-have. It impacts everything from the economy and customer loyalty to workplace productivity and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). “The Power of Trust” co-author and Harvard Business Review researcher Shalene Gupta helps firms tackle their biggest problems by putting trust at the center of their decision making. Confronting high-stakes scandals like the Boeing crashes and the Volkswagen emissions scandal, Gupta helps organizations move from vague notions of trust toward an applicable framework. Citing case studies, including Japan’s Recruit Holdings, which rebounded from massive scandal in the 1980s to achieve over 20 billion in profits without layoffs, Gupta explains what it takes to strengthen or repair reputations and enlist the trust of stakeholders so organizations and their employees can flourish.
Books by Shalene Gupta
Shalene in the Media
Why Senior-Level Mothers Are Quitting (And How We’re Fixing It)
Unlocking AI Careers: Your Path to a Job in Artificial Intelligence
The Fellowship Offering Job-Hunting Grads an AI Training Lifeline ($)
PMDD: Author Shalene Gupta on Misdiagnosis, Rage, and Reclaiming Power
What is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder? With Author Shalene Gupta
Why Paris Hilton Helped Write a Law That Just Passed The Senate
Map: Getting Healthcare for Transgender Youth is Harder in Much of the Country
Menstrual Cycles Can Affect Day-To-Day Suicide Risk, UIC Study Finds
The Menstrual Mood Disorder You’ve Never Heard About
Why Companies Should Share Their DEI Data (Even When It’s Unflattering)
Johns Hopkins Graduate’s New Book Delves Into Life With a Menstrual Mood Disorder ($)
What Your Doctor May Not Have Told You About Your PMS
How Shalene Works with Organizations
Each engagement is built around your goals and audience.
01 · WORKSHOPEmpowering Whole Selves at Work: Trust, Transparency and Triumph Over Taboos
Authentic leadership and inclusive cultures define successful organizations, says Shalene Gupta, co-author of the bestseller “The Power of Trust: How Companies Build It, Lose It, Regain It” (2021), which was named among the best business books in July 2021 by The Financial Times.Drawing from this groundbreaking work and her latest release, “The Cycle,” which calls the often-overlooked intersection of menstrual and mental health in the workplace into sharp focus, Gupta brings leaders a new way to transform their workplace cultures.Through a blend of compelling memoir insights, riveting interviews and robust research, Gupta uncovers the veiled dynamics of menstrual stigma and its far-reaching effects on organizational productivity, individual health and even global economic growth. She also reveals the unspoken challenges of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and its profound impact on women’s performance and well-being at work.Through guided activities and discussions, leaders and teams will discover practical strategies to foster a more inclusive workplace. Key takeaways include creating open dialogues about menstrual and mental health, implementing supportive policies like flexible hours and accessible healthcare resources, and nurturing an environment where employees feel empowered to be their whole selves.Transcending traditional corporate boundaries, participants are invited to reevaluate and reconstruct their approach to workforce empowerment. Perfect for executives, HR professionals and team leaders seeking to champion inclusivity and trust, Gupta’s session equips attendees with the tools to build a workplace culture that not only acknowledges but celebrates every aspect of employee diversity and well-being.
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