Endometriosis at Work: The Pain You Can’t Call in Sick For

In a drop🩸 : five women with endometriosis have shared their stories on our podcast. Every single one left their corporate job—partly, if not entirely—because their workplace simply wasn’t built to support the reality of living with endo.

Let’s break it down:

🩸1 in 10 women have endometriosis—and many are managing pain while juggling meetings, deadlines, and office politics.

🩸75% of people with endo say their symptoms negatively impact their work. (Because chronic pain doesn’t care about your to-do list)

🩸Over 40% report missing work due to their symptoms—but many feel pressure to hide it.

And if you’re wondering whether companies are stepping up? Not really.

Most workplaces don’t even have policies in place to support people with menstrual health conditions.

Why Is Endo Still Invisible at Work?

🩸Stigma – Talking about periods is still taboo, let alone discussing pelvic pain that makes it hard to sit through a Zoom call.

🩸Lack of Policies – Flexible hours? Remote work for flare-ups? Paid leave? Many companies aren’t there yet.

🩸Fear of Judgment – Many worry they’ll be seen as "unreliable" if they speak up, leading to silence and burnout.

What Can We Do About It?

It’s simple: Workplaces need to do better, and we're part of those workplaces. 

Some suggestions & what that looks like:

🩸Flexible policies for people with chronic conditions

🩸Menstrual leave (yes, it exists—and it works)

🩸More open conversations so no one feels like they have to suffer in silence

🩸Compassion as managers and colleagues. People suffering from endo need to feel heard and supported, and that starts with us educating ourselves and offering that support.

We've progressed on building period-friendly workplaces, but we need to add period-related chronic conditions to the list too. Providing period products in the toilets is a start, but it's not enough. We need to provide support and flexibility to those who need it.