By: Dr. Mariam Zayan
A few days ago, on my way to work, I suffered from acute cramps. This was followed by 8 hours of pain and general discomfort. At this point my efficiency was about 30% of its normal level, if not less. My colleagues suggested taking a sick leave, or alternatively asking to work from home; a solution many menstruating women resolve to here in Europe.
According to a 2005 study(1) published in the journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada, out of 1546 women menstruating, 60% reported experiencing painful menstrual cramps (primary dysmenorrhea) of which 17% reported missing work or school in the past year and 37% reported limited ability to function.
In April 2019, a group of journalists started an initiative in Egypt, demanding women get the right to a “menstrual leave”. Unsurprisingly, the initiative was met with social media outburst, ranging from huge support to accusing the initiative of being antifeminist.
So, the question that begs itself to be answered is:
Is applying menstrual leave truly aligned with feminist values?!
Many feminists argue that this initiative does more harm than good to the feminist cause, as it endorses the idea of women demanding special treatment. Others voiced their fear, that applying the “menstrual leaves” will only lead to more work place discrimination against women.
For a great part of the human history, Menstruation was used as an excuse to suppress and further isolate women from engaging in vital social and political roles. Patriarchal powers used menstruation to undermine women’s ability to go to school, vote or even work. Which explains the controversy surrounding “menstrual leaves” and why some women are taking a stance against it.
Equity verses equality in the work place
Many feminists would define the goal of feminism as working to achieve political, economic, and social equality between men and women.
However, Men and women are biologically different; men don’t get pregnant or bleed every month. So, to treat both men and women the same, is to brush over these differences, and fail to acknowledge the different challenges each faces.
While equality aims to treat everyone the same, equity recognizes that people have different start points and need different tools to succeed. So, even though equity might seem biased at first glance, it aims primarily at creating fair conditions and promoting justice, in situations where equality alone might not necessarily be fair.
Menstrual leaves and employee performance
In the “menstrual leave” argument, many tend to focus on the number of hours women would spend working less per month. If the company’s main goal is longer working hours, then menstrual leave should be disregarded as a concept, to start with.
However, if the aim is to add value to the company and the employee, then several factors need to be put into consideration.
Value, simply put, is “outcome over time”. One can spend 10 hours doing a task while another could do the same task with the same quality in 6. In that case, we can safely assume that one employee has succeeded to be more efficient than the other. Hence, more time doesn’t necessarily mean added value.
When addressing value, we can’t mention time without referring to outcome. Outcome can be evaluated using several calibers including ability to meet deadline, effective task performance and employee satisfaction and motivation. While taking 2 days a month can affect the work hours, it doesn’t necessarily translate into a negative value.
Studies(2,3) show that paid leaves generally lead to more employee satisfaction and productivity.
The truth is many women would feel more included, appreciated and even empowered, given the flexibility to synchronize their work cycles with their natural ones. In some jobs this might mean the ability to work from home twice a month. In others, it might mean a day or 2 off to focus on one’s health and wellbeing.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs(4), humans are motivated to satisfy 5 needs. The most basic of them are physiological which are related to survival and physical comfort. This can be translated to providing your employees with comfortable work conditions such as access to restrooms, food, drinks and breaks. Similarly, on one hand, denying women access to a comfortable situation when they most need it, can have a negative impact on their motivation. On the other hand, incorporating women’s wellbeing in company policies can play a key role in enhancing women’s sense of belonging, which stand in the 3rd place in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. According to Maslow’s theory, creating an engaging work culture where employees feel included and appreciated, increases employee motivation and thus performance.
Breaking the stigma
In most Middle eastern/African societies, periods are still a taboo topic. This only comes to hinder real open educative and empowering conversations about women’s bodies.
This initiative, if applied, can challenge the stigma surrounding menstruation. And while some women might choose to take the monthly menstrual leave, many women might not.
Taking the “menstrual leave” means openly acknowledging the time in which your body bleeds once a month, which many women don’t feel comfortable with.
Additionally, not all women experience menstruation similarly. Some women experience severe symptoms ranging from cramps, headaches to nausea and even vomiting. While other women experience much milder symptoms
Finally, whilst “menstrual leave” still seems far from application, having an open conversation about menstruation and women engaged in building more inclusive labor policies, is a positive first step.
References:
1. Burnett MA, Antao V, Black A, Feldman K, Grenville A, Lea R, et al. Prevalence of Primary Dysmenorrhea in Canada. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2005 Aug 1;27(8):765–70.
2. 2014NationalStudyOfEmployers.pdf [Internet]. [cited 2019 May 12]. Available from: http://familiesandwork.org/downloads/2014NationalStudyOfEmployers.pdf
3. Bassanini A, Venn D. The Impact of Labour Market Policies on Productivity in OECD Countries. 2008;(17):13.
4. Mcleod S. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs [Internet]. Simply Psychology. [cited 2019 May 12]. Available from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html