Last updated · 15 February 2024

Working on your period

Having your period while you're working can be a (literal) pain. Menstruation can impact some people in such a way that it's almost impossible to go about your day without some form of discomfort.

Everyone's experience with periods and related conditions is completely different. Some people experience light periods with no pain, some experience heavier periods with cramping, and some will experience other conditions such as Endometriosis.

We recognise that the range of symptoms can differ substantially, and therefore, the support and adjustments that people may need to make will also differ. We hope you feel comfortable opening up — we don't expect you to suffer in silence and are here to support you in managing your comfort levels.

Periods while working.

Periods for most will happen once a month and may be accompanied by a whole range of symptoms: cramping, bloating, sickness, migraines, fatigue, mood swings, and hunger, just to name a few. This can make continuing with your working day as normal very difficult.

Unfortunately, periods and premenstrual syndrome don’t tend to comply with our work schedules.

Endometriosis.

According to the World Health Organization , Endometriosis affects 10% of women of reproductive age and often causes severe pain in the pelvis, especially during menstrual periods. It can be associated with severe, life-impacting pain during periods, sexual intercourse, bowel movements and/or urination, chronic pelvic pain, abdominal bloating, nausea, fatigue, and sometimes depression, anxiety, and infertility.

Needless to say, it isn't cool. If you do suffer from Endometriosis and find you experience some days and months harder than others, please talk to us. Nobody should try and stumble through working days under such conditions.

Support Available.

There are tampons and pads available for you to use in the cupboard in the toilet area. For clarification, they aren't meant to be used in the cupboard, no, no, no! They are available in the cupboard to be used wherever you see fit. Please help yourself.

One day per month paid Period Leave. You can read more in Leaves, but, in summary, if you are feeling rough, take the day and rest up. You just need to let your Project Manager or (team) Lead know. You will still receive your meal allowance for the day. If you suffer from a more severe condition, please talk with us if you feel you would benefit from more time to rest on a monthly basis.

If you can't take time off, make use of our flexible Working hours and location policy. Sometimes, you might just need a little extra time for yourself during the day.

We provide mental health support with Pulso and Headspace. If you're struggling mentally, whether it's health-related or not, please take advantage of the support available. You can read our Mental health support page to see what other options are available, as well as the Help via Pulso page.

Make use of being able to work from home when it works for you. We don't expect you to continuously come to the office when you're feeling rough. Speak to the People and Operations team if there's something that you'd like to purchase to make your home office more comfortable.

Let's talk about it. We know this is sometimes easier said than done, but talking to your manager or the People and Operations team can help us support you better. While we do our best to check in and recognise signs that someone might be struggling, these conditions are invisible, and it can be tricky to detect when someone is suffering.

Relevant reading about the topic.

You may find a few articles helpful about the matter.

https://www.lunette.com/blogs/posts/period-power-periods-in-the-workplace https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/report-calls-for-action-on-womens-health-issues-at-work/ https://time.com/4246662/period-policies-at-work/