[Have Your Say] Should companies in Malaysia offer menstrual leaves and benefits?

Last month, Spain became the first European nation to legalise menstrual leaves for women in the workforce. They’re entitled to five days of paid menstrual leave every month, which will be subsidised by the government. 

Globally though, the topic of companies providing menstrual benefits to its employees has been the talk of the town, especially over the past year.

These benefits include paid menstrual leaves, the option to work from home, and flexible working hours.

The rising interest in menstrual benefits also comes from an increased awareness of menstrual struggles, including period pain. 

The National Health Service in the UK states that period pain (medically termed as dysmenorrhoea) is usually felt as “painful muscle cramps” in the lower abdomen which can spread to the back and thighs.

The pain varies depending on the individual. For some people, it can be mild, but for others it can be more severe. 

It’s estimated that dysmenorrhoea affects 80% of women in the Malaysian workforce.  

While dubbed as a common occurrence, period pain can be caused by more serious underlying conditions, such as endometriosis, fibroids, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

A study published in 2019 found that 14% of respondents had taken time off from work or school during their periods. And despite feeling unwell, 80% of the research subjects continued studying or working, but felt that the pain made them less productive.

We want your thoughts: to provide or not to provide?

This brings us to the next query—do people in the Malaysian labour force believe that employers should have menstrual benefit policies to help ease those in pain?

It’s a tough question with many variations of answers. Maybe you think it’s a good step to take but have your own reservations. Maybe you don’t think it’s necessary and might increase the gaps in gender equality.

We at Vulcan Post would like to hear what you would have to say on this topic of companies in Malaysia providing menstrual leaves and benefits to employees, so we’ve created a survey here.

Once we’ve compiled your opinions, we’ll be writing another piece to share our findings with you.

Also read: Navigate hybrid work’s pain points like productivity & security issues via this webinar

Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post