FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Got questions? That's great, cos we got answers up to here...
What is Bloody Good Employers?
It’s an HR initiative from Bloody Good Period for bold, forward-thinking, all-human employers who want their employees to be able to bring their whole selves to work and feel supported when they do it. It’s for employers who are ready to go beyond just talking about periods to create huge, long-term positive change to normalise menstruation in our workplaces, and support everyone who menstruates at work.
Why is Bloody Good Period doing this work?
We’re doing this work because we’re tired of the support offered to those who menstruate at work coming up short. So first and foremost, this is to improve the lives of employees across the UK.
How will Bloody Good Period deliver the work?
We’ll be delivering this work in phases. Phase One is setting expectations together for the work. Phase Two is Monitoring and Evaluation so we have an idea of where you’re currently at as an employer. Phase Three is the learning through three workshops. Phase Four is review and re-evaluation. Each phase will be steered by our Programme Manager, and the workshops will be delivered by one of our Facilitators.
Will we meet up for this, or will this be online?
For now, all work will be delivered online. We hope this will change in the not too distant future, as we want to come and see you in your brilliant workplaces. However, we have to tread carefully for now.
How long does it take?
We are suggesting a 12 month period from the beginning of Phase One to certification. However, employers might want to drive real momentum into the work,meaning they complete things more quickly, or they may want to take their time, in which case this might look more like 15 months. We’re flexible, but as with most things, a balance between building momentum and allowing time for reflection feels like the way to go. The time this takes will likely be impacted by the size of the employer.
What’s the impact going to be?
We’re aiming to help UK employers improve in the key areas of communications, culture, and ultimately policies. You can see more about the impact we’re hoping to achieve here. We developed this early stage theory of change work early on in our journey and we’ll be re-visiting it once we’ve started working with employers to evolve it, and to track how the work is landing.
Is this about offices providing products?
That’s part of it. But UK employers need to do a lot more to ensure that individuals experiencing menstruation at work are properly supported. Making sure you support colleagues is about much more than offering free period products. As helpful as it will be to many women and people who menstruate to access products at work (like we do toilet paper), we want employers to have policies which don't negatively impact those who suffer from painful and debilitating menstrual conditions. And maybe most importantly of all, this is about fostering a culture of open communication, which not only sets contexts where employees can ask for more support, but encourages managers to educate themselves too. This will mean managers instigate more proactive conversations with their teams, taking the onus off the individual, so taking more responsibility for wellbeing and professional progress.
Which employers should be looking at this?
We want all UK employers to become Bloody Good Employers. Simple as that. There are improvements to be made across the whole employer spectrum, but there is particular progress to be made in male dominated sectors like construction, or in sectors that offer more challenging working conditions like retail. We want you all!
Is this work just for women at work?
Absolutely not. The patriarchal working patterns that are often still so prevalent in the UK are a key part of the problem here. The system doesn’t currently work for anyone who menstruates, and we’re here to help change that, creating more human centred workplaces fit for today and ready for tomorrow. Men need to play active roles in recognising the need for change, helping to sign off on doing this work, and getting properly involved throughout.