Creating a Better Standard for Support at Work with Our Menstruation & Menopause Policy

At Sentius, we talk a lot about culture. 

Most companies do. 

These conversations are meaningless until we put in the work to turn that culture into something tangible. Something practical. Something people can actually rely on when they need it. 

That is why we introduced our Menstruation and Menopause Policy. 

It is an extension of the people-first culture of care and respect we are so proud of. Because if a workplace says it cares about people, that care should show up in more places than a values page. 

Why we introduced this policy

This policy was developed by our DEI Committee as part of our ongoing commitment to building an inclusive and supportive workplace. 

It also reflects conversations we have been having across the business about what meaningful support actually looks like in practice. At our One Team conference last year, we spoke about creating a culture where people feel safe, respected, and genuinely supported. 

When this policy was proposed, it was approved in full because it aligned so clearly with that vision. It was a natural extension of the work we are already doing to make sure our values are lived through our people and the culture we create together. 

We did not want menstruation or menopause to be something people felt they had to manage quietly or without support. We wanted to create a clear framework that reduces stigma, makes support easier to access, and gives people practical options when they need them. 

Just as importantly, we wanted our values to show up in a tangible way. A caring culture is not built through statements alone. It is built through the structures, policies, and everyday behaviours that show people they will be listened to and supported. 

Why this policy matters

There is a tendency to frame menstruation and menopause as personal matters rather than workplace matters. 

That framing falls apart pretty quickly once you look at the data: 

The economic impact is bigger than many people realise

One of the more sobering findings from the Senate inquiry into menopause and perimenopause was the scale of the economic impact. 

It referenced research showing that menopause may cost workers experiencing menopause $17 billion each year in lost earnings and superannuation. The same section also noted that women retiring before the age of 55 often do so because of sickness, injury, or disability, and that women retire, on average, 7.4 years earlier than men. The inquiry was careful not to suggest menopause is the sole cause of that gap, but it is clearly part of a much bigger picture around women’s workforce participation and financial security.  

The inquiry also estimates that early retirement linked to menopause can cost women around $500,000 in lost salary income and more than $50,000 in superannuation savings.  

When we consider that older women are the fastest growing group of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, it’s clear we need to do more to address the impact menopause has on women’s participation in the workforce. 

The retirement gap is not theoretical

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia added another layer to this. 

Their research found that a 51-year-old woman on the average wage who shifts from full-time to part-time work for four years could retire with $25,000 less in super. Women who are forced to retire around five years early because of severe menopause symptoms may lose an estimated $60,000 in retirement savings.  

ASFA also noted that around 160,000 Australian women enter menopause each year, with thousands expected to reduce hours, leave work and return later, or retire prematurely as a direct result of symptoms.  

That is one of the reasons we felt this policy was worth creating. 

Support at work does not solve every part of this problem, but a lack of support definitely makes it worse. 

Menstruation has workplace impacts too

Menopause is finally getting more public attention, which is overdue. 

Menstruation deserves the same honesty. 

According to Bayer’s Period Perspective survey, 1 in 3 Australian women surveyed believed they may have undiagnosed heavy menstrual bleeding. The same research found that menstruation affected participants’ ability to work, participate in social events, and maintain normal daily routines.  

More anecdotally, when developing this policy, we found out that some of our employees were using most of their sick leave on symptom management while menstruating. This leaves them with not enough leave to cover days when they might be out with the flu.  

Again, this is not fringe stuff. It is everyday life for a significant number of people. 

Which means workplaces should be able to make accommodations. 

What our policy actually includes

Our Menstruation and Menopause Policy applies to full-time and part-time employees from the day they commence work if they experience menstruation, perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause. It is designed to make support straightforward to access and practical to use.  

That support includes: 

• one day of paid menstrual or menopause leave per calendar month
• flexible working arrangements, including the ability to work from home when symptoms arise
• temporary workplace adjustments to make the workday more manageable
• in-office symptom support, including practical items and access to quiet spaces
• privacy protections, so people do not have to explain their symptoms to access support
• no medical certificate requirement for the support outlined in the policy

What this support looks like in practice

One of the strengths of the policy is that it does not assume everyone needs the same thing. 

Sometimes a person needs leave. Sometimes they need flexibility. Sometimes they just need the workday adjusted slightly so it is not harder than it needs to be. 

Temporary adjustments may include: 

• working from home, even on mandatory in-office days
• taking more breaks away from the workstation
• working in another area of the office
• starting earlier or finishing later to avoid peak travel times
• reducing hours temporarily
• turning the camera off during video calls
• opting for a walking meeting

When employees are in the office, support can also include: 

• desk fans
• desk heaters
• heat packs
• hygiene products
• pain relief medication
• access to a quiet room

Built on trust, not hoops to jump through

This part matters to us. 

Employees accessing leave under the policy must inform their manager, but they are not required to explain why they are taking leave, and they do not need to disclose their symptoms. Medical certification is also not required for the support available under the policy. 

We think that is how support should work. 

People should not need to produce evidence of discomfort to be treated reasonably. They should not need to trade privacy for flexibility. And they should not have to decide whether it is worth the awkwardness of explaining something deeply personal just to make it through the day. 

A policy built on trust is more likely to be used. Which means it is more likely to help. 

This is also about culture

Policies are never just policies. 

They tell people what a workplace takes seriously. They tell managers how they are expected to lead. They tell employees whether support is theoretical or real. 

Our policy also outlines shared responsibilities across the business. 

Employees and colleagues are encouraged to understand the policy, support one another, and speak openly if comfortable. Managers are expected to listen, avoid assumptions, maintain confidentiality, and work with employees to make sure the right support is in place.  

Sentius also commits to reviewing wellbeing practices regularly and making sure support systems continue to reflect the needs of people experiencing menstruation and menopause. 

Why this matters beyond Sentius

We are not pretending a single policy changes everything, but we do think it contributes to a better standard. 

Menopause Friendly Australia makes the case that becoming a menopause-friendly employer is part of creating a workplace free from discrimination, while also helping businesses reduce risk around absenteeism, flexible work issues, and unfair treatment.  

That is the legal and organisational case. 

There is also the human one. 

If talented people are reducing their hours, stepping back from leadership, or retiring earlier than they wanted to because work feels impossible to navigate alongside symptoms, then workplaces have a responsibility to take that seriously. 

A policy that reflects who we are

We are proud to have introduced this policy because it reflects the kind of culture we want to keep building at Sentius: thoughtful, supportive, practical, and mature enough to deal with real life as it is. 

Our HR partner, Employee Matters, described the policy as a groundbreaking step and suggested it may represent an Australian first in its scope and dedication to supporting employees through often stigmatised experiences.  

That is encouraging, but what matters more to us is that our people know the support is there. 

Because culture is easy to talk about when everyone is having a good week. Its real value tends to show up on the harder days. 

A workplace cannot say it supports people while ignoring the realities that shape their working lives. 

Menstruation and menopause are part of those realities. 

Our Menstruation and Menopause Policy is one way we are responding with a bit more honesty, a bit more care, and a lot more practicality. 

We hope other organisations follow suit.