Just like toilet paper and soap, period products are essential hygiene items that should be freely available wherever you need them.

With 47% of the workforce menstruating, it’s time to normalise periods in the workplace. There are several positive points to why an employer should consider offering free period products in the workplace for all employees.

Have you thought about providing free period products within your workplace?  Here are a few points on how free period products could contribute towards a period-positive workplace.

1. Helps fight period poverty

In the UK, a woman will spend an average of £492 a year on her period, reaching up to £4,800 over her lifetime. By providing free period products, companies are joining the fight against period poverty by reducing the financial burden on women who menstruate. This additional support can be highly beneficial to lower-income employees who are also struggling with the current cost of living crisis.

2. Show your employees you care

Offices that provide period products show a commitment to supporting their employees’ physical and emotional needs, making the workplace a more comfortable and inclusive place for everybody.  Many individuals suffer with ‘period anxiety’ by being on their period during the working day, so having products to support them at any stage of their menstrual cycle within the toilets will contribute towards a healthier mental health status.

3. Gender equality

Period products contribute to gender equality in the workplace and combat the ‘period gap’ felt by those with menstrual cycles by providing equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities to all. Women and people who menstruate feel worried that talking about menstruation shows them to be weaker and less capable than their male counterparts despite a period being a natural, bodily function. With the ongoing fight for genders to be seen as equals in many industries we must continue to support everyone.

4. Opens the period conversation

Periods and the menstrual cycle are seen as taboo topics in many offices and are seen as a very awkward conversation topic. By offering a positive approach to periods, individuals will feel more open to ask for advice and support.  Some individuals struggle during their menstrual cycle with painful cramps, dizziness, and other period symptoms so being able to ask for flexible working conditions from their employer would be less daunting knowing their employer has a positive approach to periods.

5. Less disruption, leave request

86 percent of women start their periods at work without personal hygiene products on hand? This results in an employee taking unexpected time out of the business day to go to a local shop to purchase supplies or deciding to leave the workplace for the day because they do not wish to discuss the ‘period’ topic.

By introducing free period products within your workplace, you would be positively contributing to the health and well-being of many individuals within your workplace. Many studies have documented great success and feedback from employees and employers on making the change within the workplace.

We have now added a range of period hygiene products within our catalogue ranging from sanitary towels, tampons, menstrual cups, period pants, plus period product dispensers to install in toilet locations. So, let’s make a change and start to open the discussion of periods within your wokrplace and look at ways to support individuals who experience menstrual cycles every month.

Order online: https://shop.officeworx.co.uk/product/list/?topclass=&search_string=periodpositive&fs=1 or speak with the Officeworx team and we will help you set up your ‘period products’ scheme within your workplace.