By WCorp Editorial Team

#AccelerateAction | #EquityStartsNow

Can you bring your biology to work?

The Cost of Staying Silent

For too long, women have had to normalize working through pain, masking health realities to fit into workplace cultures designed without them in mind. The result? A widespread, invisible crisis.

A 2023 CIPD survey revealed that more than 50% of women have missed work due to period symptoms, yet only 10% reported receiving any support from their organisation. Nearly half said they never told their manager the real reason. (CIPD via The Guardian, femtechworld.co.uk)

These numbers reveal a toxic workplace norm: biological reality becoming a professional liability.

The Data Speaks

Let’s break it down with verifiable figures:

• A staggering 85% of working women feel stress or anxiety when managing their periods at work, citing lack of facilities, fear of leakage, and unsupportive management. (WaterAid UK survey)
• 24% of women report that period pain regularly affects their ability to work, while 65% say they have never taken sick leave for period pain, despite its impact. (YouGov data via The Guardian, CIPD via femtechworld.co.uk)
• Nearly 60% of young women admit they hide the true reason for period-related sick leave, fearing judgement or stigma. (People Management report)

When nearly one in four menopausal women considers quitting due to unsupported symptoms, the economic and cultural loss is staggering, showing that these are foundational workforce truths we continue to ignore.

Why It Matters to Your Bottom Line

Menstrual and menopausal health are not “personal problems.” They are structural workplace design failures.

Failing to accommodate these realities impacts women, of course, and it also impairs productivity, retention, and innovation. Teams lose experience; leaders burn out in silence; companies fall behind in equity performance and ESG credibility.

The Business Case for Support

Workplaces that lead on health inclusion will attract and retain the best talent.

What companies can do now:

• Introduce paid menstrual leave — with no stigma or requirement for disclosure
• Train managers on supportive responses to menstrual and menopausal health needs
• Offer flexible schedules and remote working during symptomatic periods
• Create confidential pathways for health-related leave requests
• Certify equity practices with third-party accountability

When women aren't forced to choose between personal health and professional reliability, they choose to stay - and thrive.

This Is A Workplace Revolution.

Supporting menstrual and menopausal health isn't about “accommodation” — it's about designing future-ready workplaces that respect all bodies, not just the default male model.

Women don’t need fixing. The system does.

Join the Movement

At WCorp, we help companies build equitable, resilient organisations—one policy, one certification, one bold conversation at a time.

Want to lead the change?

👉 Start your gender equity certification

👉 Join our network of future-fit leaders

PS. In this candid discussion between WCorp CEO & perimenopause advocate Geeta Sidhu-Robb, and a renowned hormonal health doctor, you'll learn the answers to so many of your questions. Including... 

• What are the wide-ranging symptoms I might experience? 
• How do I ask my doctor for the right kind of HRT? 
• What ways might different kinds of HRT affect me and my mental health? 
• Why are my periods so erratic? 
• Can I still get pregnant? 
• Is weight gain inevitable? 
• Why don’t normal weight loss methods work? What should I do instead? 

...and much, much more. 

Click this text for instant access for just $9.99. 
Take minutes today that could change the next 10 years of your life.