Sick workers cost businesses £3.25billion a year - due to lack of support and facilities
SWNS
2024-02-29
Views 15K
A lack of support and facilities is forcing millions of workers to call in sick during their period - costing businesses £3.25 billion a year.
A poll, of 2,962 adults who menstruate, found of those who work, 18 per cent of full timers and 17 per cent of part timers miss work with most or every period.
This equates to a collective three million days missed in total, to the costly tune of £3,249,404,927.
A staggering 70 per cent feel limited in the amount or type of work they can carry out during their time of the month.
And of those who feel they have no choice but to take time off, 67 per cent cite pain as the reason, while 61 per cent blame their heavy flow.
However, 14 per cent don’t go in due to the lack of facilities available to them in the workplace, while more than one in 20 (six per cent) stay home as they don’t have access to the products they need.
Rosanne Gray, CEO of In Kind Direct, which commissioned the research and has appealed to government, employers and the third sector with a number of recommendations to tackle the scale of period inequity with their report [https://www.inkinddirect.org/news-press-resources/the-state-of-period-equity-in-the-uk], said: “Right now, millions of people in the UK can’t access the products, education, and shame-free support they need to manage their period each month.
“More than 40 per cent of our charitable network are supporting someone who's regularly using toilet roll instead of pads, because they can't access the period products they need.
"Our landmark report highlights the significant cost of days of work lost, and the simple steps policymakers, businesses and the general public can take to break the cycles of exclusion caused by period inequity.
“We ask others to join us, alongside Irise International, Essity and our Advisory Group, to ensure no one is held back by their period.”
The study found more than one in 10 (11 per cent) respondents claim not to have received any education at all about periods at school, college or university, while five per cent can’t remember it being taught.
Of those who did receive it, only 42 per cent came away feeling knowledgeable about different types of products, while 48 per cent said the same of the menstrual cycle.
Incredibly, 79 per cent have had to learn more about their periods since leaving education.
And access to products in the UK continues to be a real problem, with just 50 per cent being able to easily access the most appropriate period products for their needs every single month.
There is also a real stigma around the subject of having periods, with 10 per cent admitting they have been discouraged from or told not to speak about their period in front of others.
While 20 per cent have felt the need to hide the fact - whether that’s from an employer, teachers, or peers.
A poll, of 2,962 adults who menstruate, found of those who work, 18 per cent of full timers and 17 per cent of part timers miss work with most or every period.
This equates to a collective three million days missed in total, to the costly tune of £3,249,404,927.
A staggering 70 per cent feel limited in the amount or type of work they can carry out during their time of the month.
And of those who feel they have no choice but to take time off, 67 per cent cite pain as the reason, while 61 per cent blame their heavy flow.
However, 14 per cent don’t go in due to the lack of facilities available to them in the workplace, while more than one in 20 (six per cent) stay home as they don’t have access to the products they need.
Rosanne Gray, CEO of In Kind Direct, which commissioned the research and has appealed to government, employers and the third sector with a number of recommendations to tackle the scale of period inequity with their report [https://www.inkinddirect.org/news-press-resources/the-state-of-period-equity-in-the-uk], said: “Right now, millions of people in the UK can’t access the products, education, and shame-free support they need to manage their period each month.
“More than 40 per cent of our charitable network are supporting someone who's regularly using toilet roll instead of pads, because they can't access the period products they need.
"Our landmark report highlights the significant cost of days of work lost, and the simple steps policymakers, businesses and the general public can take to break the cycles of exclusion caused by period inequity.
“We ask others to join us, alongside Irise International, Essity and our Advisory Group, to ensure no one is held back by their period.”
The study found more than one in 10 (11 per cent) respondents claim not to have received any education at all about periods at school, college or university, while five per cent can’t remember it being taught.
Of those who did receive it, only 42 per cent came away feeling knowledgeable about different types of products, while 48 per cent said the same of the menstrual cycle.
Incredibly, 79 per cent have had to learn more about their periods since leaving education.
And access to products in the UK continues to be a real problem, with just 50 per cent being able to easily access the most appropriate period products for their needs every single month.
There is also a real stigma around the subject of having periods, with 10 per cent admitting they have been discouraged from or told not to speak about their period in front of others.
While 20 per cent have felt the need to hide the fact - whether that’s from an employer, teachers, or peers.
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