In Spain there is a plan to start introducing a period policy to give colleagues more support and in some severe cases give paid menstrual leave. If Spain implement this policy, they are among other countries such as Indonesia and Japan that have made the decision to legislate this.
According to a poll by Bloody Good Period, a great number of women have expressed that they felt like they couldn’t go to their Manager or company regarding period related issues. Menstrual pains can be debilitating to some women and if they are put at a disadvantage because of this, it could lead to claims of sex discrimination or harassment, this can be seen in the Rooney v Leicestershire City Council (2021) whereby a colleague was treated negatively due to going through menopause. Therefore, implementing a period policy would support female workers and give them more flexibility around this time.
Organisations that introduce period policies may find to have improved employee retention, improved working relations and increased productivity, all of which are important for a business’s success.
Although the UK is yet to formally introduce a formal period policy, Woman’s Health Strategy was published in December 2021 for the Governments 10-year ambitions and actions they are taking now to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls in England.
What can you do now?
Ensure that colleagues can openly communicate about their issues is very important and will help to make employees feel more comfortable in their work environment.
Consider introducing a period policy in advance of any legislative changes, including hybrid working to avoid loss of pay or become behind on workload, or even offering free period products in the workplace to support open communication.
Support
If you feel that you could support your colleagues suffering with menstrual issues more and are unsure what steps to take, contact us at The HR Experts for advice.