A company based in Bristol is introducing something new to the work environment. They are providing female employees with time off for period pain in order to promote a happier and healthier workplace.
The company is Coexist and it runs spaces where various businesses can work. The majority of its workforce is female and according to its claim, it is the first business in the UK to introduce such a period policy. Bex Baxter, a director of the company had the following to say:
“As a manager of staff I have seen women really suffer with their periods and I have found them doubled over in a lot of pain. They feel guilty and ashamed for taking time off and often sit at their desks in silence not wanting to acknowledge it.”
The company decided to take it a step further in order to break the “great taboo” of the menstrual cycle.
“Many companies are male-dominated and encourage long hours but there is a misconception that taking time off makes a business unproductive. This is not about employees taking more time off but working more flexibly and efficiently around their menstrual cycle and encouraging a work-life balance.”
This idea has not only been welcomed by female staff members, it has been welcomed by members of both genders.
In a recent study, one out of every 10 women were bedridden on a regular basis because of severe period pain and 40% claim that the pain prevented them from giving their full concentration at work. According to studies by the NHS, 14% of women are often unable to go to work due to pain associated with their menstrual cycle.
Although it is a step in the right direction, Coexist is not a pioneer in this field. Nike first started to offer menstrual leave in 2007 and even included it in their code of conduct.
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