Don’t Just Speak Of Diversity At Workplace, Make Policies Like Period Leave A Reality!

A few days ago, Spain became the first European country to sanction paid menstrual leaves for those female employees who suffer through debilitating cramps, pain and discomfort. This has given rise to a huge discussion throughout the country as to whether it is a good thing for women or not. Everyone is divided on the issue with words like respect, dignity and stigmatization of women being thrown about along with lessened productivity and loss of revenue with vehemence.

Not just periods, women undergoing menopause and infertility treatment need these

A PIL has been raised in the Supreme Court of India asking for menstrual leaves for students and those working in the education sector. There are companies in India quietly announcing leaves for those who require additional support during those difficult days.

These are all steps in the right direction. Keeping in the spirit, a company in Dubai has announced that it will give its employees upto six days of leaves per year for not only the time Aunt Flo comes visiting but also during ongoing fertility treatments and even for the days when life gets difficult to handle, combating the effects of menopause.

Women might not want to share their private matters – legal period leave helps

Medical appointments are usually not set in stone because as we all know, periods do not follow a fixed routine for most of us. They usually have a mind of their own, like Bollywood stars making their much anticipated entry on sets, unexpected. When you are asked to come for treatments on specific days of your cycle, more than your hormones it is your creative juices that go on overdrive thinking up excuses to give to the boss. How do you explain your continuous late arrivals or the drop in your positivity? But to be able to crunch numbers, or create code after having someone poke up your privates is no mean task.

As the head of the all women team, who herself had to go for fertility treatments, *Natasha Hatherall found the last minute tests, near daily appointments and the unexpected situations hard to juggle. This is one of the most stressful times for an employee, physically and emotionally. Many women might not want to share that they are opting for medical assistance with their colleagues and seniors. They are put in a spot where they either have to lie and compromise on their integrity, or tell the truth unwillingly, sharing something that ought to be a private matter altogether.

Period leaves will be a welcome step

It is high time workplaces incorporated different policies for differently abled workforce and to include leaves for women when they are not in their top form is a welcome step. All men are not created equal. It holds true for women too. For some the period days are a breeze while others find it nothing less than torture with cramps, bloating and lots of pain. Making women work on these days only adds to their stress levels and impacts productivity. A leave that does not require a medical certificate, hence removing an additional responsibility will go a long way towards boosting employee morale and loyalty, thus improving employee retention.

A happy and engaged team means listening to the needs of your employees. This leads to greater productivity in the long run. It’s great that companies and institutions are now working towards their long-time vision and thus bringing in some positive changes. Hope these changes have a cascading effect, leading to an all inclusive and compassionate workplaces all over.

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