Jo Barry, owner of Scarlet, on the condition quietly taking days off your payroll every month, why nobody on your team has mentioned it, and the four things that sort the workplace half of it, for free.
You have a procedure for ladders. One for lifting. One for the chemicals under the sink, laminated, on a wall, reviewed annually by someone whose job that is. You have nothing at all for the condition quietly removing days from people on your payroll every month. Not a policy. Not a line in the induction. Not a sentence anywhere.
Around 1 in 7 Australian women born between 1973 and 1978 had an endometriosis diagnosis by age 44 to 49 (AIHW). Getting there takes an average of 6 to 8 years. Add adenomyosis, heavy bleeding and pelvic pain that doesn't care what's in your calendar, and somebody on your team is at their desk right now doing sums on how long until they can go home. They haven't told you. Somewhere along the way, someone asked them whether it was really that bad, and they worked out fast what answer the room wanted. Silence.
I had stage 4 endometriosis and adenomyosis. Seven laparoscopies, two bowel resections, one ureter stent, one laparotomy, one hysterectomy. I own a period brand. I own zero periods. My body quit without notice, and Scarlet began as my rebellion. So here's what I know helps from both sides of the desk.
👉 Say the word period. Out loud, in a normal voice, like it's a Tuesday. If your team can't say it, they can't ask for anything that comes after it.
👉 Flexibility on the bad days, without anyone earning it first. No sick-note theatre for a condition that takes the better part of a decade to name. They've had more practice at this than your policy has.
👉 Managers who don't flinch. That's training, not personality. A manager who can hear "I have endo" without visibly recalculating is worth more than any wellness week.
👉 Period supplies in the office. Tampons, pads and emergency essentials for when your period shows up uninvited. Plus pain relief like Panadol and heat support like rae, ready to go when cramps hit. Because “just push through” isn’t an office policy.
👉 Believe them the first time. Stop asking whether it’s really that bad. They’ve been sure for years. In Australia, getting a diagnosis can take years, too.
P.S. More from me: Living with endo and How to manage cramps at work.