Workplaces need to do a better job at supporting menstruating workers

Menstrual leave employment policies allow employees experiencing painful menstrual cycle-related symptoms or illnesses, such as dysmenorrhea (painful periods) and menorrhagia (heavy bleeding) to take time off work.

Traditionally, these policies have been sex-specific, targeting women or females. However, some companies have begun expanding their language to include “people with uteruses” or “menstruating employees.” This shift is significant, as research shows that sex-specific employment policies undermine gender equality at work.

For a similar reason, I will be using the terms “menstruators” and “people who menstruate” throughout this article, as language is a crucial signal of inclusion and exclusion.

For menstrual policies to deconstruct rather than perpetuate social inequalities, an intersectional approach is required. This involves challenging assumptions about menstruation, such as the idea that it is exclusively a topic impacting cisgender women when it also impacts gender-diverse people.

Supporting menstruating workers

While it is important to dispel the myth that all menstruators experience painful menstrual symptoms or related illnesses, these issues are still a cause for concern in the workplace.

A recent study in Spain found that 72.6 per cent of participants report experiencing menstrual pain. Of these, 34.3 per cent stated they would consider using menstrual leave to alleviate their discomfort. Yet only 17.3 per cent actually requested time off due to fear of professional repercussions.

These results demonstrate the pressing need to implement mechanisms that prevent employers, managers and peers from discriminating against employees using or attempting to use leave. They also indicate the policy’s anticipated rate of uptake — that is, in general, low.

Considering people spend a significant amount of time at work, we need to reconsider how to best support menstruating workers — and workers more generally. My recent research examined menstrual leave policy announcements from companies across five countries: Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Insight into menstrual leave

Menstrual leave is a divisive topic among researchers. While some are concerned that menstrual leave hinders gender-equality efforts, others argue it is beneficial for people who menstruate.

My latest research tackles these debates by examining menstrual leave policy announcements from companies across the globe. I performed a thematic analysis, meaning I searched for recurring and meaningful themes in the announcements.

I found that menstrual leave might support menstrual health and increase worker power. Yet it might also reinforce hetero-sexist beliefs and an individual’s responsibility to “appropriately” manage menstruation. This is deeply concerning, and these findings led me to conclude that menstrual leave alone cannot address the broader needs of menstruating workers.

This is where menstrual flexibility policies come in.

Toward menstrual ‘flexibility’

First coined by researcher Lara Owen, menstrual flexibility is an umbrella term referring to a set of interrelated employment policies and practices that support menstruating workers.

Traditional forms of menstrual leave push women out of the workplace while menstruating. This perpetuates menstrual stigma and thwarts gender-equality efforts. Menstrual flexibility policies, on the other hand, tackle the root causes of why, despite half of the population menstruating, menstruation remains taboo, shameful and secretive.

Taking leave from the workplace is still an important aspect of menstrual policies. For those who need to visit physicians and specialists to support their menstrual health, time off from work is undeniably important. However, supporting menstrual health can take other forms.

My research found that some companies allow menstruators to work from home or in a more restful location. Others offer substantial health insurance, impressive base salaries and related progressive policies that support menstrual health. Some extend their policies to cover individuals experiencing distressing menopause symptoms and miscarriage.

Addressing structural issues

For menstrual policies to have any positive impact on the lives of menstruators, they also need to address structural problems like gender inequality and patriarchy.

Accordingly, these policies must be supported by education that normalizes menstruation as a regular biological function without medicalizing it.

These policies should challenge the social pressure to conceal menstrual status, such as by preventing “leaks” and hiding menstrual products from sight. Education must also define menstrual stigma as a symptom of gender inequality.

Critically, these policies must not require workers to meet certain criteria or qualify for menstrual leave. Qualification practices are inhumane and deplorable, and research demonstrates that these practices contribute to gender inequality and decrease the likelihood that menstruators will use the leave they rightfully have.

What’s next?

We don’t yet know how menstrual flexibility policies function in practice or across cultural contexts. Yet there is reason to be optimistic — if these policies are consistently monitored and improved, they could offer an equity solution at work.

The logic of menstrual flexibility is exciting; it challenges us to radically restructure workplaces to support worker well-being. If workers are encouraged to use the most restful areas in the workplace during menstruation, what does this tell us about how effectively workplaces cater to employee needs overall? The answer: it suggests work spaces are not typically designed with employee well-being in mind.

These critiques create opportunities to advocate for a radical transformation and physical restructuring of workplaces. Not to mention, such efforts would enhance the well-being of all employees, not just those who menstruate.

In sum, menstrual flexibility has the potential to be a powerful feminist intervention in the workplace. However, it requires continued interrogation to ensure its success. This means scholars and third parties must keep analyzing these policies, and companies must be held responsible for them.

Menstrual flexibility opens new doors, but we must ensure these policies actually help people flourish in the workplace.