Menstrual equity: What it is and why it can help with attraction and retention strategies

“Menstrual equity” may not be a term employers are familiar (or comfortable) with yet, but that may soon change.

In most workplaces, discussion of women’s health might begin with fertility treatment and almost always ends with maternity leave. Menstruation is often ignored and rarely treated, but healthcare experts are now trying to make it a bigger part of the conversation. Menstrual equity refers to the equal treatment of every phase of the female reproductive cycle — including monthly periods.

“We know that the menstrual cycle affects people physically, mentally and emotionally,” says Ann Roberts, chief people officer at women’s health insights company Flo. “This should be respected and acknowledged, not only in the wider society, but especially in the workplace. It affects about half the global workforce every month.”

Read more: PTO for periods? Why women workers are asking for this new perk

Women are losing an average of nine days of work productivity each year due to menstrual cramp discomfort, according to a 2017 study published in the British Medical Journal. Twenty-six thousand of the 33,000 women surveyed in that study said they often push through the pain each month and as a result are not working at 100% productivity.

But women shouldn’t have to make this choice, Roberts says.

“I remember early in my career, getting your period in your corporate environment felt like something that's holding you back, something that you had to hide away or mitigate or overcompensate for compared to your male peers,” she says. “But your body is one of the biggest untapped resources that can arm you with the self-compassion and the confidence needed to bring your best self to work, which is what every employer wants as well.”

Menstrual equity, Roberts says, can help workers bring their best self to work, and simple additions to the workplace culture — like having sanitary products stocked in the restrooms or communicative emojis on Slack that explain an individual is experiencing PMS — can make a big impact.

“It’s about encouraging a greater conversation around how different cycle phases affect people and how they show up at work,” she says. “Some people are comfortable [with those conversations]. Some people are like, that's personal to me. But what matters is that it creates visibility.”

Read more: How to build fertility benefits that work — for all employees

The pandemic has been a catalyst for a number of new health and wellness policies, including more mental health resources in basic healthcare coverage, expanded and inclusive family-building benefits, and allocating PTO for menstruation.

These growing trends are an indication that employees want employers to move away from materialistic perks — corporate lunches, merchandise, happy hours — and toward benefits that support them professionally and personally. And with millions of women pushed out of the workforce during the pandemic, considerate practices and policies can be a factor in getting top talent back to work.

“There is an opportunity for employers to look at it differently, and think about how we’re addressing general female health,” says Chad Deshler, Flo’s chief revenue officer. “When employees can see that cultures are changing, they will have the motivation and desire to come back.”