Menstruation affects roughly half the global workforce at some point in their lives, yet most workplaces still treat it as something employees should manage silently. The unspoken expectation is to push through, stay quiet, and never let anyone know when your period is making things difficult. But research is starting to show just how much this approach costs organisations. A study published in BMJ Open surveyed over 32,000 menstruators and found that period-related symptoms account for nearly nine days of lost productivity per year. That’s not nine days off work. It’s nine days of showing up but not being able to function properly. The study found that 80.7% of respondents experienced this kind of presenteeism, dragging themselves through workdays while experiencing pain, fatigue, or brain fog. And here’s the telling part: only 20% of those who called in sick because of their period actually told their employer the real reason.
What Happens When Workplaces Get It Right
Organisations that take menstrual health seriously see real results. The 2025 Period Positive Workplace Impact Report found that 87% of workplace leaders noticed improved employee satisfaction after implementing period-positive initiatives. More than half of employees reported that these changes positively affected both their productivity and attendance. These aren’t feel-good numbers with no practical value. They’re measurable outcomes that affect the bottom line. When menstruators feel supported, they show up differently. Learning more about the menstrual cycle helps organisations recognise that productivity naturally fluctuates throughout the month. Fighting against this reality doesn’t make it go away. It just makes employees feel like they’re failing when their bodies are doing exactly what bodies do.
The Day-to-Day Difference
Research from Queensland found that 94.7% of menstruating workers had experienced being at work without access to period products, and that lack of access caused real mental distress. When products were provided, the shift was immediate: 94.1% reported improved emotions, 70.6% noticed better concentration, and 64.7% said their overall mental wellbeing increased. This isn’t about free products for menstruators it’s about being seen, heard and thought of. Employees in period-positive workplaces commonly report:
- Less anxiety about managing menstruation during work hours
- Feeling more comfortable talking to managers about health needs
- Five times easier experience managing their periods compared to workplaces without support
Learning to optimise productivity by working with cycle phases rather than against them can genuinely change how menstruators experience their professional lives. Scheduling demanding tasks during high-energy phases and keeping things lighter during menstruation isn’t slacking. It’s working smarter.
The Retention Problem Nobody Talks About
Here’s a number that should get employers’ attention: research from SimplyHealth found that 23% of working menstruators have considered quitting because of menstrual or menopausal symptoms. When replacing an employee costs anywhere from 50% to 200% of their annual salary, suddenly supporting menstrual health looks less like a nice-to-have and more like financial common sense. Certified Period Positive Workplaces report that employees are more loyal and view their employer more positively. When someone feels genuinely cared for, they’re far less likely to start browsing job listings.
More Than Just Products in Bathrooms
Providing free period products is an important first step, but truly period-positive workplaces go further. According to the 2025 Impact Report, 90% of certified workplaces offer programming beyond the basic requirements. That might mean educational resources, pain management options, or flexible arrangements during difficult cycle days. What actually creates cultural change:
- Leadership that’s willing to talk openly, with 76% of managers saying period-positive initiatives sparked new conversations about menstruation
- Professional development days with Menstrual educators
- Manager training on how to support team members who menstruate
- Flexible policies around remote work or adjusted hours
- Resources on PMS and emotional shifts that normalise what menstruators experience
Understanding the different phases gives everyone a shared language for talking about how work patterns might shift throughout the month.
What Menstruators Actually Want
The BMJ Open study found that 67.7% of menstruators wished they had more flexibility in their tasks and working hours during their periods. Not special treatment. Just acknowledgment that their bodies don’t operate identically every single day. What employees consistently value:
- Period products available without having to ask or pay
- The option to work from home during particularly rough days
- A culture where mentioning menstruation doesn’t feel taboo
When the workplace supports self-care practices, employees don’t have to choose between their health and their professional image.
The Ripple Effect
The impact goes beyond individual employees. When organisations normalise menstruation, they contribute to broader cultural shifts. One employee at a certified workplace noted that the supportive culture inspired them to talk about menstruation more confidently with family and friends too. More than 60% of managers reported that becoming period-positive improved overall workplace culture, not just experiences around menstruation specifically. The question of whether menstrual leave could change workplaces continues to generate debate, but many organisations are finding that flexibility achieves similar outcomes without the complexities of formalised leave. The evidence keeps pointing in the same direction: period-positive workplaces benefit everyone. Employees experience better wellbeing and greater job satisfaction. Employers see reduced absenteeism and stronger retention. The organisations leading this shift recognise that supporting menstrual health isn’t about special treatment. It’s about creating workplaces that actually work for the people in them.
