Just 16 percent of HR professionals believe managers have the training and resources to support employees with endometriosis and other menstrual health issues.
This was a key finding in the report, Breaking the stigma: what HR teams need to know about endometriosis and menstrual health, from charity Endometriosis UK and HR software provider Ciphr.
With one in ten women affected by endometriosis, employers that lack policies and/or trained managers to support them face hidden sickness costs, lost productivity, avoidable turnover and loss of talent.
The research with 121 HR professionals and leaders found that only 16 percent of HR professionals think line managers in their organisation have the right training and resources to support menstrual health. This proportion drops to 13 percent when asked specifically about endometriosis.
However, 89 percent do offer flexible working, which should provide some support.
Further findings highlight gaps in workplace provision, with 29 percent of HR professionals reporting that free period products are not supplied at work, while 3 percent did not know. Just 18 percent of respondents from organisations with uniforms said adjustments are routinely offered to all employees, despite the fact that endometriosis symptoms such as heavy bleeding and bloating can alter body shape by up to two dress sizes.
Data recording is also limited, with only 21 percent of employers keeping track of how many staff have a diagnosed or suspected menstrual health condition.
Julie Burns, Endometriosis Friendly Employer scheme manager at Endometriosis UK, said: “We know that there are many HR professionals already putting in place the right measures to enable those with endometriosis to feel valued, be productive and contribute to their organisation’s success – but as a charity we also hear stories of women and those assigned female at birth treated unfairly or without sympathy, forced to change careers or abandon their ambitions, because of the disease.
“We hope HR professionals recognise that providing support to the estimated 1.5m in the UK with endometriosis is in their interests.”
Claire Hawes, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, added: “It’s concerning that these results reveal such a wide gap in organisational awareness and readiness to support employees living with endometriosis and other menstrual health conditions. When managers are perceived as unapproachable or ill-equipped to respond with empathy and understanding, organisations risk sidelining the needs of a significant part of their workforce.”
Sanchia Alasia, trustee of Endometriosis UK and a senior HR professional who was diagnosed with the condition in 2010, said: “My personal and professional experience shows me that a little bit of flexibility can go a really long way. Those with endometriosis need to know that if they have a flareup or need to attend a medical appointment, that they can tell a manager and be believed and understood, rather than judged.”
Endometriosis UK and Ciphr urged HR teams to use the report’s findings to encourage more open conversations, access better training for managers, and support flexible policies that ensure employees with menstrual health conditions can thrive at work.
