Did you know that globally, over a quarter of working women have faced health challenges linked to menstruation, menopause, or fertility? Yet, many continue to work through pain or symptoms, feeling unable to take time off.
The 2024 Women @ Work: A Global Outlook report explores this issue, among others, highlighting its profound impact on women’s careers.
For instance, their research reveals that about four in ten women who experience high levels of menstrual pain don’t take time off and instead work through it.
This year’s findings also show that more women experiencing menstrual challenges don’t feel comfortable discussing its impact with their manager (13% compared with 9% in 2023). Additionally, there’s a slight increase in the number of women who feel their career was damaged by giving menstrual health as a reason for taking time off.
Researchers recommend that organizations should ensure their policies reflect the importance of women’s health and create a culture where they can openly discuss their situation and, if necessary, take time off work for it.
Are you needing to bring up a health concern to your manager and/or ask for time off? Let’s embolden you and transform this together – book a session now.