June employee wellbeing round-up: menstrual leave, unlimited holiday and sick leave while WFH

If looking after your employees’ health and wellbeing is important to you, don’t miss our latest news round-up. This month we’ll be covering sick leave, Spain’s proposal to allow women time off during their period, and unlimited holidays.

Sick days and remote working - what’s your company culture?

There’s no doubt that working from home has had a positive impact on our work life-balance, but how has it affected your organisation’s approach to sick days? While it’s proven that working while ill can lead to substandard performance (and even depression) it’s clear that many workers feel that with all the tech at their disposal they must soldier on, even when unwell. Is it a matter of company culture? What can organisations do to make sure employees take time off when needed??

HRT shortage - how employers can support women

For many women who rely on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to manage their menopause symptoms, the last few months have been incredibly tough with many variants of the drug difficult to source or completely unavailable. The stress of trying to locate new treatments while simultaneously trying to manage returning symptoms could be taking a toll on some of your workers. But there are ways you can support them.?

Unlimited holiday - a positive perk??

Following in the steps of LinkedIn and Netflix, Goldman Sachs will be offering senior staff unlimited time off. But has the neverending holiday lost its lustre? A number of firms who’ve tried it out are reverting back to set holiday allowances - see this LinkedIn post which took the poster by surprise. If implemented the question is, will employees really feel empowered to use it? And will it help retain talent, or rather foster discontent in a workforce where not everyone qualifies??

Consequences of ageist ‘banter’

As far as workplace equality goes, handling ageist banter is one area that definitely needs addressing. What should you be aware of when it comes to workplace discrimination and how can you avoid these HR pitfalls?????

Menstrual leave for severe pain

Charities are calling on the UK government to follow Spain’s leave in allowing menstrual leave for workers. Allowing women time off to prioritise their health and deal with the sometimes debilitating pain of menstruation is being hailed by many as a positive step forward, although there are critics too. What’s clear is that women’s health is finally making it onto the agenda and forward-thinking policies by governments and workplaces are needed.?????

Women of colour are forced to ‘hide’ their heritage at work

A troubling report has revealed that 75% of women of colour have experienced racism in the office, with many of them changing their behaviour, dress and sometimes even their names in order to ‘play down’ their identities. What needs to happen in workplaces to address this and make sure that individuality is respected and celebrated.?