Nurofen’s Gender Pain Gap Index Report also highlighted that eight in 10 (81%) women between the ages of 18 to 24 reported having had their pain ignored or dismissed. The research findings were published yesterday (15 October).
For 27% of the women who took part in this research, they started believing that their pain wasn’t serious or real, after having their pain dismissed. For 34% of female respondents, this impacted their mental health.
“The findings from Nurofen’s latest Gender Pain Gap Index Report highlight something that many women already know too well: women’s pain is routinely dismissed,” said Clare Knox, founder and CEO of women’s health workplace training provider See Her Thrive.
Knox told HR magazine: “From healthcare professionals to workplaces, there’s a deep bias that invalidates what women are going through. When 81% of women have had their pain ignored, it’s clear this is more than an isolated issue. It’s a systemic problem, and it’s damaging.
Dismissal of women’s health is having a huge impact on their careers, Knox explained.
She continued: “When pain isn’t taken seriously, women are left struggling in silence, affecting their mental health, productivity, and career progression.
“For women with chronic conditions like premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) or endometriosis, the lack of understanding and support can be a career-ending barrier. The workplace becomes yet another environment where women feel they have to “push through” rather than ask for the support they deserve.”
Read more: We need to better support and retain employees with endometriosis
Over 1.5 million people have endometriosis in the UK, according to the charity Endometriosis UK, while between 5% and 8% of women in the UK have PMDD, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Nurofen’s report showed that 42% of women going through the menopause had related pain dismissed, while one in six had to wait more than a year to have menopause-related pain diagnosed.
Nick Dean, co-founder and COO of reproductive health consultancy HeyFlow, noted the lack of understanding around reproductive health in the workplace.
Speaking to HR magazine, he said: “Many women report that their careers have been negatively impacted due to the stigma and dismissal surrounding menstrual health.
“One major factor is the tendency for period-related pain or conditions such as endometriosis or dysmenorrhea to be trivialised or misunderstood by employers and colleagues.
“When women experience severe pain during their menstrual cycle, it can lead to decreased productivity or missed work days. Yet they may be hesitant to disclose the real reason, fearing judgement or disbelief.
“HeyFlow aggregated data suggests that as few as 4% of women who experience heavy or painful periods at work have discussed it with their manager.”
Absenteeism due to women-specific pain is costing the UK economy £11bn per year, the Nurofen report noted.
Read more: Progression stunted by lack of women's health support
Employers should train managers on how to support women experiencing pain, Knox explained.
“We all share a responsibility to close the Gender Pain Gap,” she said. “But let’s be clear – this isn’t about asking employers to diagnose or treat medical conditions. It’s about fostering a culture where women feel safe to speak up about their pain without fear of being dismissed, judged, or penalised.
“Educating line managers and HR teams on women’s health challenges is essential. When employers truly prioritise women’s health, they create a more inclusive, supportive, and productive environment. Women’s pain deserves to be taken seriously, and that includes in the workplace.”
HR should equip leaders to have open conversations about women’s health and those assigned female at birth, explained Valentina Milanova, founder of gynaecological health company Daye, which provides workplace women's health platform Daye for Work.
“Encouraging open dialogue about women's pain at work starts with leadership,” she told HR magazine.
“HR can organise awareness campaigns, invite health experts for talks, and create safe spaces for employees to share experiences and support each other.”
HR leaders should also provide health benefits and policies that cover women’s health, she noted.
Milanova continued: “Employers should ensure that pain-related absences are treated with empathy and understanding, not penalised. Offering comprehensive health benefits that cover women's health services, including pain management, is essential.
“Providing women's health policies is also essential, so that managers are prepared and don't have to come up with solutions on the spot.”
Nurofen commissioned media company Toluna to survey 5,072 UK adults for its 2024 Gender Pain Gap survey in May 2024. Half (50%) of respondents were women, 49% were men and 1% were nonbinary/ alternative gender identities.
