Why UK firms should follow Spanish lead on paid menstrual leave for painful periods: Rashmi Dubé

In the past decade, more and more has come to light about women’s health and the impact it has on their careers and productivity. The issue has been that most of the legislation/policy and corporate policies have predominantly been written with male biology in mind. It’s not too far back in our history, and one could say recent really, that the UK was forced to bring maternity leave in with a European directive in 1993.

Coverage was extended to all working women and later in 2003, extended to include paid statutory paternity leave for male employees. This entitlement was extended in January 2010. The point being that progress for stakeholders and, in particular, women employees has been slow.

Slip into 2023 and employers ought not to wait for government policy to force their hand to bring changes into their organisations by having policies covering things like the menopause or menstrual leave.

Recently Spain has adopted new legislation in which women are entitled to three days’ paid leave during their menstrual cycle.

If you have never experienced the pain of menstruation, I can understand why people might question “sick leave” for what is a normal experience for most women. The answer is simple from an economic corporate stance - women who menstruate and who experience pain are likely to be less productive and feel that they have to attend the workplace to be “present”.

In 2016, the University College of London Professor John Guillebaud for women’s health wrote a report stating, “Some women experience period pains which feel “as bad as a heart attack, the problem is not given the right priority by the medical profession because “men don’t get it.”

This may be a new concept to the West but in Asia menstruation leave has been provided in countries such as Japan, Indonesia and from as long ago as 1953 in South Korea. We are simply playing catch up.

You might be one of those directors that believes “If it ain’t broke why fix it?” or “It’s always been this way and hasn’t harmed anyone yet” or “what next! another feminist piece of ideology?” – all responses I have heard directly or have been told me by sources when discussing women’s health, including menopause.

But if you practice good governance and review your company policies around women’s health what you are likely to find is the overall benefit will be twofold: one from the employees’ perspective in that they are seen and heard not only creating greater loyalty but also, from the corporate perspective, greater productivity and retention of labour.

The generations coming through into the workplace now are asking the questions around how the workplaces we all operate in will help support them in their daily lives. It has been a long time coming but finally the balance of power has shifted. If the board of directors focused more on practicing good governance they may just find a healthier, happier and more profitable company.

Rashmi Dubé is a partner at gunnercooke