Female staff supported by 'hormone holidays'

The owner of a small business has said she is getting more, not less, from her staff after it introduced so-called "hormone holidays" for female employees.

Heaven Skincare, based at Hadley Park in Telford, offers unlimited leave to support staff when hormonal changes such as periods, adenomyosis, endometriosis, periods, perimenopause and menopause significantly affect their wellbeing.

Deborah Mitchell, who founded the skincare manufacturer said: "Hormone holiday sounds like it's airy-fairy, but it is vitally important to the health and wellbeing of my staff."

The company hopes the move sparks a wider conversation about how female health is handled by employers.

"If we have periods and do not feel good, we call our boss and tell her we want a day free as I have period pain or tummy pain and she always says it is no problem and I can come back when I feel better," employee Marzena Raj, 42, said.

Mitchell said: "Thinking about their hormone health, it's like if they have horrendous period pains, if their heads get cloudy and foggy, all of this makes them feel like they can't work as well, so it is good to give them that hormone holiday

She explained this could be taken at home, "if they are poorly and they really feel like they cannot get out of bed", but equally there was an area at the business where they could use a hot water bottle or take pain killers.

In 2023, the British Standards Institution (BSI) published a workplace standard to tackle taboos and help employers keep talented people in work.

It suggests more training for managers and the offer of more flexible working patterns for staff.

It is also intended to help companies identify misconceptions about periods and perimenopause.

With unlimited leave, and the offer of being able to head home if staff feel unwell, is Heaven Skincare's policy encouraging a less resilient workforce?

Mitchell said this was not the case.

"I think our generation here, and the staff we have got, we have got so much from them by looking after them, not less," she said.

"You may think we are being soft on them, and that it sounds soft. But it could be you have a staff member who are having problems, and you are not addressing those problems.

"Could that be classed as constructive dismissal if they are not looking after their issues?"

She added that hormonal symptoms did not "reset in January" and did "not disappear because someone is at work".

"This policy recognises that reality. We are starting the year with empathy," she said.