Political correctness run amuck has led to a society in which everyone gets a participation trophy, “safe zones” are set up on college campuses for overwhelmed sensitive types to get a grip, and now, businesses are setting up policies that enable a certain population to receive extra benefits simply because of normal bodily functions.
Such is the case at a U.K.-based business that has just set up a “period policy” to give long-suffering women time off work during their monthly cycle. The plan is to tap into women’s “natural rhythms” in order to create a happier and more productive work environment and erase the stigma of menstruation.
Bex Baxter crafted the initiative for her company, Coexist, where she employs 24 women and seven men. The 40-year-old claims that she has managed many women over the years who were doubled over in pain, but felt that they could not go home because they were technically not “sick.”
Baxter explained her rationale for instituting the period policy:
“At Coexist we are very understanding. We wanted a policy in place which recognizes and allows women to take time for their body’s natural cycle without putting this under the label of illness.”
She added, “There is a misconception that taking time off makes a business unproductive — actually it is about synchronising work with the natural cycles of the body.”
“For women, one of these is their menstrual cycles. Naturally, when women are having their periods they are in a winter state, when they need to regroup, keep warm and nourish their bodies.”
‘The spring section of the cycle, immediately after a period is a time when women are actually three times as productive as usual.”
Apparently, Baxter is no stranger to painful menstrual cramps which she says is part of the reason for proposing the new initiative. She also claims that the idea has been welcomed enthusiastically by staff of both genders, particularly amongst the younger generation — the ones who lived their entire lives receiving those aforementioned participation trophies.
The British director insists that if men had periods this policy would have been instituted sooner. “It’s not just about taking time off if you feel unwell – but about empowering people to be their optimum selves,” she stated, adding, “If you work with your natural rhythms, your creativity and intelligence is more fulfilled and that’s got to be good for business.”
Period policies may be new in the U.K. but have been in place in some Asian countries for years. According to Daily Mail, menstrual leave began in Japan in 1947 and other countries including South Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia also have laws in place allowing women to take time off work during their period.
Most recently, a province in Chinese province agreed to give women paid monthly leave if they produce a doctor’s letter.
Sportswear giant Nike is believed to be the only worldwide company to officially include menstrual leave as part of their Code of Conduct.
No doubt, the menstrual movement will spur liberal policy makers to consider the benefits of working with women’s natural cycles in order to spur increased productivity — never mind the extra financial burden placed on the business or the other employees who must take up the slack.
If women want to be perceived as equals in the workplace, initiating polices which by definition are created to coddle females as more fragile and needing extra care is probably not the best rule of thumb to achieve that goal. What would Rosie the Riveter think?
h/t: Mad World News