How to Support Menstrual Health in the Workplace

Menstruation affects half the world’s population – making it a significant part of life for women and people with menstrual cycles. According to research by BUPA, almost 47% of women who have periods go through extreme pains most months.

It falls on employers to provide staff with the right support during their monthly menstrual cycles. Without sufficient care, you could end up losing talented staff, facing discrimination claims, causing reputational damage, and paying compensation fines.

For more advice, contact one of our expert H&S advisors free of charge today. Now, let’s look at how employers can support menstrual health in their workplace.

What is menstrual health?

Menstrual health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing in relation to a person’s menstrual cycle. Having good menstrual health and hygiene is an essential part of one’s human rights.

In a workplace setting, employers should encourage a supportive, inclusive culture for employees who experience menstruation. This can include anything from providing better access to bathroom facilities to reducing the stigma around women’s health issues.

Often, employees are left suppressing menstruation pains to keep up with work and home responsibilities. Tending to the health, safety, and welfare of your staff is a lawful duty for employers. So, it’s advisable to understand and acknowledge your legal and moral responsibilities for this demographic at work.

What are symptoms of a menstrual cycle?

Women and people with menstrual cycles can face all kinds of symptoms whilst on their period – each varying in levels of severity. Once their premenstrual syndrome (PMS) has started, they may experience common symptoms like:

• Bloating.
• Irritability.
• Mood swings.
• Hormonal acne.
• Body aches and pains.
• Pelvic cramps.

What are severe symptoms of menstrual cycles?

Whilst a majority of people go through common symptoms of menstrual cycles, 5-10% of women experience pains that are severe enough to disrupt their life, according to Women’s Health Concern. Examples of severe symptoms of menstrual cycles include:

• Endometriosis.
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
• Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
• Adenomyosis.
• Fibroids.
• Heavy Menstrual Bleeding.

What is the law on managing menstruation in the workplace?

In the UK, there isn’t a specific legislation that covers menstruation in the workplace. However, there are relative legal areas that may apply. Let’s take a deeper look:

Protection from discrimination

Some people experience severe menstrual symptoms – stopping them from doing everyday tasks. If it’s applicable, their menstrual condition can class as a disability under the Equality Act 2010.

In this example, it’s unlawful to discriminate against them based on their menstrual cycle. Any evidence of disability discrimination can lead to paying hefty compensation awards to the employee in question.

Access to reasonable adjustments

If an employee’s menstrual health classifies as a disability, employers must provide reasonable adjustments in the workplace. This can apply to numerous work conditions; like their duties, environment, location, and even contractual terms.

Employers can present reasonable adjustments like flexible working arrangements, access to private rest areas, or being able to take short breaks on their first day of menstruation.

Right to paid leave

In the UK, there is no specific statutory right to paid menstrual leave. Employees can use their sick leave entitlements if they require time off work due to menstrual ill-health.

Many choose to come into work in the fear of losing out on sick leave, annual leave, or other holiday entitlements. Employees are only paid Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) after four consecutive days of absence; meaning employees lose out financially if they take time off due to menstrual ill-health.

How to support menstrual health in the workplace

Menstruation is a common health condition that millions of people go through every month – often without proper medical guidance or peer empathy. In a workplace setting, employers should acknowledge their legal and ethical duty towards protecting this demographic. Let’s take a look at how to support menstrual health in the workplace:

Create a menstrual leave policy

Employers can start by creating a menstrual leave policy for their workplace. This policy can outline your rules on who’s eligible for menstrual leave, whether it’s paid, and how pay is calculated.

Countries like Spain and Japan have already introduced paid menstrual leave within their economy. If you don’t want a standalone employment policy on menstruation, you can incorporate it into your sickness absence or attendance record policies.

Allow additional comfort breaks

Employers can allow staff to take rest breaks during their first days of menstruation. This can include taking an additional daily break; or even time off to attend medical appointments relating to their menstrual health.

Conduct a workplace audit to see if there’s easy access to bathrooms, changing areas, and quiet spaces for breaks. Other forms of comfort can include ensuring the workplace isn’t particularly too hot, cold, noisy, or crowded.

Offer period products

A great way to promote a menstruation-friendly workplace is by offering period products to your staff. Employers can place a bathroom basket filled with sanitary pads, tampons, and menstruation cups – all in varying sizes.

It’s important to keep this service topped up, as menstruation can happen at any given time. Employers can even encourage staff to participate in a take/donate scheme – helping to keep supplies filled up.

Supply menstrual first aid

From the week before a period to the first day, people can face all kinds of menstrual discomforts. Common medical issues can include back aches, cramps, bloating, lethargy, headaches, and much more.

Employers can offer menstrual first aid supplies to help alleviate such pains. Hot water bottles, microwavable wheat bags, paracetamol, ibuprofen, even chocolate are great choices! Each has its own way of providing comfort to those with period pains.

Invest in practical furniture and uniforms

During menstruation, people go through any level of blood loss throughout their cycle. Some women bleed heavier than others – facing a high risk of leaking from sanitary pads and tampons.

Employers should invest in practical furniture made from darker, wipeable materials to clean leaking blood with ease. Having darker, breathable material for lower-body uniforms can help regulate fluctuating body temperature (which is also beneficial for those going through menopause).

Allow flexible working arrangements

Employers can offer flexible working for staff going through painful menstrual cycles. This can be particularly beneficial for employees with severe menstrual issues, like endometriosis.

Allowing employees to work flexibly will help minimise sickness and unauthorised absences. If this isn’t an option for your business, employers can be more flexible with staff working away from desks or taking more breaks during their periods.

Provide access to healthcare

Many large businesses provide healthcare services and on-site medical clinics as part of their work benefits. Within these practices, employers may also allow staff to attend routine screening appointments; or work towards improving gynaecological wellbeing.

With access to services like these, employees will reiterate job satisfaction through greater productivity, retention, and even loyalty towards the business. In the end, employers benefit from having an overall happy, healthy, and content workforce.

Allow open communication on menstrual health

Some employees may raise criticism on one demographic receiving additional leave entitlements or work benefits. During such discussions, employers need to allow open communication to talk about menstrual health and how to tackle it collectively.

The British Standards Institute (BSI) provides guidance for employers on supporting employees experiencing menstruation and menopause in the workplace. The aim is to banish taboos and encourage a supportive workplace for everyone – including those with menstrual cycles.

Get expert advice on supporting menstrual health in the workplace with Peninsula

Employers have a legal duty for the health, safety, and welfare of their staff – and this includes supporting menstruation health in the workplace. Small acts like providing free sanitary pads and rest break areas can provide heaps of support for employees during that sensitive time of the month.

Peninsula offers expert advice on supporting menstrual health in the workplace. We offer 24-hour H&S advice – helping you establish a positive, safe, and inclusive workplace environment for women-related health issues. Book a free chat with one of our H&S consultants. For further information, call 0800 051 3685.

Sources

Why more than a million women are keeping period sick days a secret | BUPA

Period pain | Women’s Health Concern