'More companies will adopt paid menstrual leave before their countries do'

Breakfast host Refilwe Moloto chats to Brett Rogers, culture lead at Cape Town advertising agency HaveYouHeard.

• Only a handful of countries around the world are granting menstrual leave

• Advertising specialist Brett Rogers says companies don't have to wait on national laws before making their own policy changes

• Rogers says recognising period pain and providing menstrual leave will help companies create a happier workplace

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It's expected that more companies will forge ahead with adopting paid menstrual leave, even if it is not a legal requirement in their countries, says Brett Rogers, culture lead at advertising agency HaveYouHeard.

Spain is the latest country to announce legislation allowing women to take time off from work during their periods.

Spanish lawmakers have proposed that women who suffer from menstrual pain should receive a maximum of three days of leave per month.

They're also pushing to scrap tax on all menstrual products.

Many women are affected by painful periods, a condition known as dysmenorrhea, but only a handful of countries (Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Zambia) allow them to take time off work to recover.

According to Rogers, the standard practice is allowing one day a month or 10 days in a year.

While governments worldwide drag their feet, Rogers says some companies have not waited to be compelled by law to offer women menstrual leave.

It's slowly happening. I think that we will start to see these things happen within companies rather than in countries because companies are starting to recognise more and more that a happy employee is a good employee.

Brett Rogers, Culture lead - HaveYouHeard Marketing

RELATED: Feminine hygiene industry cashing in on period stigma, says Wendy Knowler

A gender equality organisation in Australia offers employees 12 days of menstrual and menopause leave.

Indian food delivery startup Zomato provides 10 days of period leave and French cooperative La Collective gives staff one day of period leave per month.

Just like the four-day work week, Rogers believes that menstrual leave in the workplace could potentially improve productivity, loyalty, and commitment.

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It's important around the world... It's a lot of the workforce that are in pain.

Brett Rogers, Culture lead - HaveYouHeard Marketing

If we are able to do a four-day workweek, then somebody who needs to take three days of or one day off because of illness, then we can handle that.

Brett Rogers, Culture lead - HaveYouHeard Marketing

We need to start trusting employees more, and if you provide us with the tools and the services that we can be better and be happier, and we will be better employees and be better at our jobs.

Brett Rogers, Culture lead - HaveYouHeard Marketing

This article first appeared on CapeTalk : 'More companies will adopt paid menstrual leave before their countries do'

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