Every month when my period rolls around, my body whips up a kind of chaos that can be unbearable at times. I get extreme headaches, muscle pain and cramps that make me unable to sit upright. Sometimes I’m so nauseous I have to work from home to stay near a toilet in case I need to vomit. I often get irritable, sad and anxious, making it hard to leave the house for work — or even be around people. And I know I’m not alone. For many who menstruate, severe symptoms, both mental and physical, make daily life incredibly tough.
Dealing with menstruation at work remains an unsolved issue. Employers should understand that period pain is a valid reason to take time off — even if that leads to an increase in annual sick days. But are we really at the point where people feel comfortable sharing they are menstruating with their manager? Often, the answer is still no.
Employers and governments have made efforts to address the issue. In 2023, Spain became the first European country to pass a paid menstrual leave law — though The Guardian reported in 2024 that few women used it in its first 11 months, due to the need for a medical diagnosis, potential stigma, and a lack of awareness among both employees and employers. Italy considered a similar law in 2017 but scrapped it, fearing it could reinforce harmful stereotypes — like the idea that women are overly emotional during their periods.
Some European companies have implemented period leave. Last month, socks and underwear brand Snocks announced that employees suffering from period pain can take an unlimited number of days off. It called those days ‘Power Days’ — with the option to log them as such in the company’s HR system.
I get the intention. Creating designated period leave gives a name to something many people have had to hide their entire lives. But describing them as ‘Power Days’ creates its own problems. That seems like another attempt to soften the reality — like adverts for period products using the colour blue for menstrual blood because red was seemingly too offensive.
Other people on LinkedIn seemed to agree with me: “The idea? Grand…. But the term Power Days.. It would be nice if we didn't have to try to cover everything up with pink glitter and an "empowerment" label – but could just call a spade a spade,” wrote Lisa Krawczyk, a content creator at B2B agency Presigno.
On the other side of the argument, I can also see why designated period leave is something not everyone would be open to. Not everyone wants to disclose their symptoms — and they shouldn’t have to. Additionally, if a company’s culture doesn’t support open conversations about periods, new policies alone won’t help.
“I think just putting a policy in place doesn't automatically mean that your culture accommodates talking out loud about menstruation,” says Olya Yakzhina, people director at Switchee, a UK company offering property insights for housing providers. “That level of psychological safety can only come from leadership modelling behaviours, and it takes months, if not years, depending on the size of the company.”
She adds that in some cultures, menstruation is still taboo and not something people can easily speak about.
For those reasons, Olya, when creating Switchee’s ‘period and menopause policy’, didn’t introduce a specific "period leave" category. Instead, she encourages employees to take sick leave, use their unlimited holidays or work flexibly to manage their symptoms.
She says that having a period policy within a broader “ecosystem” of flexible work helps people take the time they need without fear of being judged, or penalised. (Research also shows that flexibility helps people with chronic conditions stay in work.)
Chantelle Belle, cofounder of Syrona, a virtual gynaecological clinic for people with endometriosis and other chronic conditions, says she’s seen a “great push” for menopause policies in the past few years, but not as much for menstrual health.
Companies that have introduced flexible menstrual health policies have benefitted from it though, she adds, and they’ve reported higher retention rates among employees. “The policy must be designed sensitively,” she says. “When backed by education and proper healthcare support […] these policies acknowledge biological realities while supporting workplace performance.”
Switchee introduced the policy “gently”, says Olya. She began by posting messages on the team Slack about periods and conditions such as endometriosis (which affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age worldwide) to spark conversations.
Over time, she’s noticed a “shift”: more employees feel able to say they’re taking sick leave due to period pain.
Reader, as always I’m keen to know what you think. Should companies be offering period leave? How else can we ensure people who menstruate can manage their symptoms at work? Should we be calling "a spade a spade" more often? Get in touch.
