A Bengaluru startup founder has revealed why he initially rejected the idea of introducing menstrual leave, despite most of his team being women. His candid LinkedIn post has since started a conversation about workplace policies and what it takes for young companies to support them.
Founder explains why he initially said no
The post was shared on LinkedIn by Peeyush Sharma, who wrote, "I said 'no' to a menstrual leave policy even though 80% of our team are women."
He recalled that three years ago, he, Jatin and Radhika had just started building House of Creators while living in Goa. He noticed that Radhika would lose one or two days of productivity every month because of severe menstrual pain, while Jatin would take time off whenever he had a fever.
"If someone has a fever, we call it sickness and provide sick leave. But women dealing with severe menstrual pain often don't get that same understanding. The policy was different. The biology is the same," he wrote.
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After discussing the idea for two hours, the founders decided against introducing menstrual leave because they believed the young company could not support the additional operational cost.
{{/usCountry}}After discussing the idea for two hours, the founders decided against introducing menstrual leave because they believed the young company could not support the additional operational cost.
{{/usCountry}}Three years later, after more women in the company raised the issue and a team member formally proposed the policy, the startup introduced four days of menstrual leave a year, with one leave available every quarter.
Explaining why he had never spoken publicly about the policy before, Sharma wrote, "I'm not proud of saying yes because we know four leaves in a year, one per quarter, are not enough."
He added that feedback from employees helped him see the policy differently. One employee with PCOS wrote, "When I see four days a year, it feels a bit crazy. But I like the intent behind the initiative." Another employee said, "Women empowerment is not just about DEI ratios and equal pay. It's about how much we care for people. And HoC did it."
(Hindustantimes.com has reached out to Peeyush Sharma; this report will be updated when he responds.)
How did social media react?
The post prompted a range of reactions, with many appreciating the founder's honesty while questioning whether four days of menstrual leave each year were enough.
One user wrote, "Periods happen every month, not every quarter. Four days a year clearly need amendment. Six to 12 days, along with work from home where possible, would make more sense."
Another commented, "At my current company, we get one period leave every month. I usually take around eight a year. When people are trusted to act responsibly, these policies become enablers. Still, I appreciate that you gave this so much thought and took the first step."
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A third user said, “I appreciate the honesty behind this post, but I find it difficult to celebrate a policy that offers only four days a year for something that happens every month. The intent is positive, but the policy still falls short of the problem it is meant to address.”