On May 28th, 2023, the Period Positive Workplace (PPW) initiative was launched worldwide in celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day. The initial idea for the PPW was sparked by the idea of engaging the private sector in the global menstrual equity movement. In the year that followed its commencement, Days for Girls (DfG) has been proud to lead the PPW steering committee in the recruitment and certification of 173 Period Positive Workplaces across 40 countries.
Now, DfG is thrilled to share the early findings of the first survey of certified PPW employees and employers to assess the initiative’s impact.
Research that inspired PPW indicates that workplaces that provide period products report reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, and higher collaboration among employees who menstruate. Alternatively, inadequate menstrual health conditions in the workplace can lead to wage loss, absenteeism, and limited physical mobility. The first PPW survey sought to evaluate the prevalence of menstruation-related disruptions for employees and assess how PPW interventions can assuage these disruptions.
Of the surveyed employees that experience menstruation, over half had experienced productivity challenges at work due to menstruation. Meanwhile, 73% agreed that their and/or their colleagues’ experience managing menstruation at work had improved since their employer became a Period Positive Workplace.
“…Thanks to the organization’s new approach, I was relieved to find free menstrual products readily available in the restroom. It was such a simple yet impactful gesture that made me feel supported and valued by my employer,” wrote one employee from India.
Period-positive employers also enjoyed benefits from becoming certified. Of the surveyed PPW implementing managers, 87% noticed the initiative had improved employee satisfaction, and 75% noticed the initiative had improved public perception of their organization.
“I hear positive things all the time about providing period products,” writes the manager of a Period Positive Workplace in the United States. “It is one of the lowest cost, highest impact efforts that we have been able to do to support the people who menstruate in our office.
These findings and numerous others indicate that menstruation can be a barrier to success at work and that the interventions proposed by the Period Positive Workplace initiative can help employees overcome those barriers. The outcomes of going period positive are attainable and mutually beneficial for employees and employers alike, especially as 91% of PPWs agree that it is easy to make period products available. As the PPW initiative continues to expand globally, these early findings support the case for businesses to prioritize inclusive work conditions, meet menstrual health needs for their employees, and demonstrate their commitment to advancing menstrual equity.
Read the complete report from the inaugural Period Positive Workplace survey HERE. Also, a one-page infographic of the findings is available HERE.
