Leave me alone: Period leave policy swings the mood of women for better

 

Zomato’s new paid period leave policy has got everyone talking. But it is not a “new” policy in India in any sense, the state of Bihar has been giving period leaves to government employees since 1992. A company called Culture Machine implemented this policy in 2017, after that many companies followed suit. And even Culture Machine might not be the first Indian company to have implemented it, as many start-ups have been following similar practices without any formal policy, way before all these so-called “pioneers”.

We talked to some students and professionals regarding their views. While most of them championed the policy, there was also some criticism.

Aditi Gupta, the founder of Menstrupedia, a TED speaker, and a Forbes India 30 under 30 achiever, says, “When it comes to period leaves, we have always supported it. At Menstrupedia, we have been giving period leaves for almost 3 to 4 years now. And our leave policy has evolved from giving 2 days to giving 1 day (per month). So unlike zomato, when it gives period leaves for 10 days, we actually give it for 12 days; which is one period leave per month. Also, I am not the person who wants to debate on whether period leaves should be given or not, I really think that giving period leaves, or providing child care is important.I was working in my office till the eight and a half months of my pregnancy. I am the mother of a two year old kid now, but I have been taking him to the office while breastfeeding him since he was five months old, So making the workplace conducive for women has nothing to do with cost or productivity or any random excuse that people come up with…it has to do a lot with the mind-set.”

“At least now women will get some relaxation from the office work,” says Dharmishtha Khernar, a Radio Jockey at Prasar Bharati. She welcomed the policy, saying that amidst mood swings and high-stress levels during the periods, it is not easy for every woman to manage the work of both the household and the office.

Vaishali Dagar, a student, thinks that this move will help abate stigma around menstruation. She says, “People at the workplace will now realize that the menstruation is not a taboo but just a biological process. Some women experience severe cramps during periods. Sometimes it is manageable, and sometimes it is not. And not everyone’s experience is the same. This policy can boost the sense of belonging in the female workforce. And productivity might even increase on another day after taking a day’s leave. Option for work from home can also be provided.”

Bhautik Sheth, the founder of a small digital marketing company named iVIPANAN, implemented the period leave policy in his company after hearing about Zomato. In his small team of 9 people, 8 are female. He told us that since the inception of his company in 2014, at least 75% of all the employees have always been female. He thinks that men and women have different needs when they look for a new job. “...While men mostly look for a better salary; women also want comfort, safety, and an environment of trust. We always look for ways that can make the employees feel more comfortable, so this policy was just a part of that,” says Bhautik.

There are also some concerns about some women possibly taking disadvantage of the period leave policy i.e. taking unnecessary leaves. Bhautik Sheth doesn’t believe in that argument. He said that he fully trusts his employees, and also that you can’t build a good culture without trusting your employees.

Aditi Gupta, who has had this policy implemented in her company Menstrupedia for around three to four years, says, “I am not saying that employees have not taken advantage of this leave, but it has refined. So I would love to help other people to implement it further. Anybody who is in the position of making the decisions, like HR, or the owner of the company, can get in touch with me to know how we implemented it and refined it in a way that is not hurting the company, and at the same time women in the company feel valued.”

Some say that rather than introducing a new period leave policy, companies should just increase the casual leaves or sick leaves because some women might feel uncomfortable asking for a period leave.

Bhautik Sheth still believes that a separate policy for periods is necessary. “…because companies generally require you to produce a medical certificate when you take a sick leave. And if the female employees are feeling uncomfortable while talking about periods, then there’s a problem with the top management and the company culture,” he says.

“A period leave should be called a Period leave. Period,” says Uzma Kamalwala, a student. “Why do we have to say that we are unwell or that we have an upset stomach, while the real reason is simple enough?” She also thinks that 10 days are not enough, “there are women who experience excruciating pain for more than 1 day. Along with the 10 days leave, the option to work from home should also be provided when women are in their periods, so that they can work from the comfort of their homes”

Anmol Nair, a student, also weighs on awareness. “Period leaves, though a welcome move, also raises questions which we have been dodging for centuries. I feel that it is also necessary to educate people in our workplaces as well as the social institutions, to make the women more comfortable asking for the periods leave or in general talking about periods,” she says.

Meghna Chode, a student, has a mixed opinion. She says, “The idea of the period leaves is wrongly romanticized…if that is even the right word. I mean, I go through these terrible periods myself, but I can still perform the basic tasks. I am not saying that I am not in favor of this policy as I know some women who can’t function properly for like three days when they are in their periods. So if you really want to give women period leaves, then why don’t you give it for two or three days, rather than just one day per month?”

Some critics argued that companies will now prefer men over women so that they can save a few period leaves. Professor Shamina Ansari, an HR faculty at B K School of Professional and Management Studies, disagreed with this criticism. She doesn’t think that this policy will result in fewer hiring of women. She believes that hiring decisions will still be dependent on the potential of the candidates. Aditi Gupta doesn’t think that period leaves will increase the costs for the companies. She says that if even a small company like hers can implement this policy, and that too with the limited profits, then the larger companies should also be able to do this, as for them the costs can be very minimal.

Start-ups are very progressive in this matter. Raj Shah, the founder of Cosmo Ecosystem Care, a start-up, says that they don’t have a leave policy at all. if an employee wants to take a leave or work from home, then they are free to do so. They don’t even have a specific in-time or out-time. "...either you try to create a cultute of pressure and stress, or you try to create a culture of empowerment, you try to create a culture in which employees are responsible for their activities," says Raj. They also don’t deduct leaves, "We pay full CTC every year...we are more bothered about the work done rather then how many hours you put in or where you work from."

To summarize all these, while everyone welcomes the policy, opinions vary on how many days the leave should be given and how it should be implemented. Hopefully, more robust policies will be formed when more companies come to their senses.

Written By: Mitesh Kariya

Interviewed By: Mitesh Kariya, Vaishali Dagar. and Anmol Nair