For a fifth (20%) of women, pain has held them back in their career, as they either had to take sick days or change careers due to their pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nurofen\u2019s Gender Pain Gap Index Report also highlighted that eight in 10 (81%) women between the ages of 18 to 24 reported having had their pain ignored or dismissed. The research findings were published yesterday (15 October).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For 27% of the women who took part in this research, they started believing that their pain wasn\u2019t serious or real, after having their pain dismissed. For 34% of female respondents, this impacted their mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe findings from Nurofen\u2019s latest Gender Pain Gap Index Report highlight something that many women already know too well: women\u2019s pain is routinely dismissed,\u201d said Clare Knox, founder and CEO of women\u2019s health workplace training provider See Her Thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knox said, \u201cFrom healthcare professionals to workplaces, there\u2019s a deep bias that invalidates what women are going through. When 81% of women have had their pain ignored, it\u2019s clear this is more than an isolated issue. It\u2019s a systemic problem, and it\u2019s damaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dismissal of women\u2019s health is having a huge impact on their careers, Knox explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She continued: \u201cWhen pain isn\u2019t taken seriously, women are left struggling in silence, affecting their mental health, productivity, and career progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor women with chronic conditions like premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) or endometriosis, the lack of understanding and support can be a career-ending barrier. The workplace becomes yet another environment where women feel they have to \u201cpush through\u201d rather than ask for the support they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over 1.5 million people have endometriosis in the UK, according to the charity Endometriosis UK, while between 5% and 8% of women in the UK have PMDD, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nurofen\u2019s report showed that 42% of women going through the menopause had related pain dismissed, while one in six had to wait more than a year to have menopause-related pain diagnosed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nick Dean, co-founder and COO of reproductive health consultancy HeyFlow, noted the lack of understanding around reproductive health in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said: \u201cMany women report that their careers have been negatively impacted due to the stigma and dismissal surrounding menstrual health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne major factor is the tendency for period-related pain or conditions such as endometriosis or dysmenorrhea to be trivialised or misunderstood by employers and colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen women experience severe pain during their menstrual cycle, it can lead to decreased productivity or missed work days. Yet they may be hesitant to disclose the real reason, fearing judgement or disbelief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHeyFlow aggregated data suggests that as few as 4% of women who experience heavy or painful periods at work have discussed it with their manager.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Absenteeism due to women-specific pain is costing the UK economy \u00a311bn per year, the Nurofen report noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Employers should train managers on how to support women experiencing pain, Knox explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe all share a responsibility to close the Gender Pain Gap,\u201d she said. \u201cBut let\u2019s be clear \u2013 this isn\u2019t about asking employers to diagnose or treat medical conditions. It\u2019s about fostering a culture where women feel safe to speak up about their pain without fear of being dismissed, judged, or penalised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEducating line managers and HR teams on women\u2019s health challenges is essential. When employers truly prioritise women\u2019s health, they create a more inclusive, supportive, and productive environment. Women\u2019s pain deserves to be taken seriously, and that includes in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HR should equip leaders to have open conversations about women\u2019s health and those assigned female at birth, explained Valentina Milanova, founder of gynaecological health company Daye, which provides workplace women’s health platform Daye for Work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEncouraging open dialogue about women’s pain at work starts with leadership,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHR can organise awareness campaigns, invite health experts for talks, and create safe spaces for employees to share experiences and support each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HR leaders should also provide health benefits and policies that cover women\u2019s health, she noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Milanova continued: \u201cEmployers should ensure that pain-related absences are treated with empathy and understanding, not penalised. Offering comprehensive health benefits that cover women’s health services, including pain management, is essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cProviding women’s health policies is also essential, so that managers are prepared and don’t have to come up with solutions on the spot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nurofen commissioned media company Toluna to survey 5,072 UK adults for its 2024 Gender Pain Gap survey in May 2024. Half (50%) of respondents were women, 49% were men and 1% were nonbinary\/ alternative gender identities.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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