Menstrual cycle awareness programmes will help end period taboo in the workplace 

Companies now offer menstrual cycle awareness programmes to support employees and improve communications. It's a win-win development, and will help to end the taboo about periods, says Sharon Ni Chonchuir 

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A recent survey by Fórsa, Ireland’s largest public service union, found that two-thirds of women wouldn’t tell their line manager about menstrual difficulties at work, especially if their manager was a man. However, many Irish workplaces are trying to change this culture by creating an environment where menstruation is openly discussed, understood, and supported.

Kate Gaffey is one of the pioneers in this field. She worked in finance and as a business consultant in Dublin for more than a decade before she set up Workplace Wellness in 2014.