While female labor participation has risen to over 72% in recent decades, the design of the workplace has hardly kept pace with the biological reality of women. Figures from TNO and WHO show that 14% of working women report sick due to menstrual complaints, and for 1 in 8 women, these complaints severely hinder their functioning.
Figures underline the necessity
Earlier research by Acture confirms that the threshold to discuss these complaints is extremely high:
- Only 18% of women actually report sick due to menstrual complaints.
- A staggering 83% of women with bothersome complaints choose to continue working.
- Women face a significantly greater sense of guilt: 40% feel guilty about absenteeism, compared to only 19% of men.
- This 'grinning and bearing it' is also visible with mental complaints, where 83% continue to work despite difficulties.
Also read: Women's shoes in the workplace: what do you wear?
Silent crisis
Annabelle Hagoort, director of Acture, explains: 'We can no longer ignore the facts: the historically high absenteeism in healthcare and education is inextricably linked to how we deal with women's health. It is a silent crisis. Women are massing on with pain or menopausal complaints out of fear of misunderstanding or guilt towards colleagues. If we really want to reduce absenteeism, we must stop treating female-specific complaints as a 'private matter' and make it an integral part of our employability policy.'
Also read: I run, therefore I am
Call to employers
With 1.8 million women in menopause and increasing pressure on the labor market, attention to women's health is no longer a luxury, but an economic necessity. Acture calls on employers to use this month to start the conversation and utilize the available expertise to prevent further dropouts.
Direct action: Evermood platform open to everyone
Acture is not waiting for policy changes and is fully committed this month to prevention and education through its vitality platform Evermood. Because attention to this theme is essential for a vital Netherlands, the platform is temporarily accessible to everyone, via vrouwengezondheid.evermood.com
 The offerings on Evermood this month include:
- Weekly webinars and interactive exchange formats on menstruation and menopause.
- Numerous exercises, videos, and articles aimed at both employees and managers.
- Professional 1-on-1 coaching by psychologists and experts to discuss complaints and find solutions.
Also read: Why smart entrepreneurs are switching to light electric mobility 
