Employment
Emma Cocker, Krysha Hunt
August 2024
Emma Cocker, Senior Associate in the Employment team, explores how employers can best support staff who are menstruating or experiencing the menopause in People Management.
Emma’s article was published in People Management, 9 August 2024, and can be found here.
There are around 15 million people of menstruating age in the UK, with roughly the same number ‘in work’. It is likely that a significant proportion of those 15 million people will either be menstruating or in menopause. Given these figures, you might think menstruation would be a hot topic in the workplace. However, the evidence suggests otherwise, with only 12 per cent of organisations providing support for menstruation and menstrual health.
A recent study by Heriot-Watt University revealed that individuals who menstruate are still facing significant challenges at work, including poor access to toilets and washing facilities, pain and mental health symptoms, and the need to conceal menstrual blood due to stigma. This study focused on the experiences of menstruating people working in research and innovation roles, but the findings are equally applicable to all work environments.
It is estimated that up to one in three people who menstruate will experience abnormal menstruation at some point in their reproductive lives, most commonly when starting their periods and before menopause. Menstruation and menopause, therefore, are a significant health and wellbeing concern for employers.
The importance of creating a positive and open environment around menstruation cannot be overstated and employers should prioritise educating line managers, regardless of their sex. It is often felt that people who do not menstruate have no understanding of the all-encompassing physical and mental effects of menstruation beyond age-old stereotypes around premenstrual tension. If employees know that all line managers have received appropriate training, they are likely to feel more comfortable about raising concerns with their employer. This will lead to increased confidence and higher productivity and staff retention rates, with a lower chance of stress, anxiety and depression.
Although not specifically a part of this study, menopause is another issue facing people who menstruate. Menopause is thought of as the simple ceasing of menstruation, however this does not account for perimenopause – the often prolonged and challenging build-up to menopause. Perimenopause can manifest itself in a multitude of physical and mental health symptoms such as unpredictable changes in body temperature (hot flushes), extremely heavy menstrual bleeding (flooding), and problems with memory or concentration (brain fog). In extreme cases, perimenopause may even push individuals to stop working altogether.
Ensuring access to appropriate toilet and washing facilities is also important and employers may also wish to provide hygiene products in all toilet spaces; as well as the practical benefits, this helps to reduce the taboo around menstruation.
Making provisions for regular comfort breaks is also vital in occupations such as caring and hospitality, where it may be more difficult to take breaks exactly when or as often as needed. In workplaces such as schools, a buddy system can be helpful to ensure that staff can access facilities quickly without having to worry about arranging cover while they are away from the classroom.
Employers should also consult with staff on uniform requirements. While a light-coloured uniform may be considered visually appealing, it may cause anxiety for those who menstruate because of the fear of leaking or unexpected bleeding.
Also, a lack of workplace policies could be costing businesses over £6bn per year due to lower productivity. Policies including enhanced sick pay or flexible working could improve such issues and employers should also consider reviewing other relevant policies such as well-being, EDI and performance management to consider menstruation and menopause. This will also help to ensure employers are compliant with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010.
