Survey study, 2025
Does menstruation affect how well women perform at work?
Yes. On days when women were menstruating, they reported lower ability to control their emotions and regulate themselves, which led to worse task performance, less helping of colleagues, and more withdrawing from work. Pain made this effect stronger.
What they did
A total of 108 women workers tracked their experiences every day for 30 consecutive days. Each day they reported whether they were menstruating and rated their emotional control, self-control, task performance, helping behaviors toward colleagues, and work withdrawal.
What they found
On days when women were menstruating compared to days when they were not, they perceived lower ability to control their emotions and regulate themselves. This lower emotional and self-control was linked to worse task performance, less helping of colleagues, and more work withdrawal. Menstrual pain amplified the effect of menstruation on emotional control, but did not affect self-control.
What it means for you
Menstruation may affect how women feel about their work performance through impacts on emotional control. Pain worsens this effect. Workplaces might benefit from acknowledging these natural bodily changes. The main limitations are the small sample (108 women) and results are based on how women perceived their performance rather than objective measures.
108
Women workers studied
30
Consecutive days tracked
About the study
- Original title
- Ebbs and flows: A within-person study of menstruation and work performance
- Authors
- Ortynsky M, Cloutier A, Byrne A et al.
- Journal
- Journal of occupational health psychology
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 108
- What was tested
- None. This was an observational within-person study tracking daily experiences.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000404
Topics
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