As an individual, you want to have the choice to work for as long as you wish in the area of expertise you desire. And as a company, your goal is to create long term retention levels with the productive employees that make your business what it is.
But how do you do that with a HR department that fire fight so many needs and requirements in todays society?
By understanding the approach of Energy Efficiency and how to apply it within the workplace.
What is Energy Efficiency?
Within a female menstrual cycle, there are surges of energy that arise from the changes in hormones that play out over a month. This creates what I like to call power pockets of productivity, motivation, communication and detailed analysis. Instead of forcing these power pockets into one day on a consistent expectation, they are carefully mapped out in a diary to harness at their most available time.
It is shifting a females work approach from a one day cycle to a monthly cycle of dynamic success that benefits not only the individual and their health, but their relationships with their colleagues and the productivity of the business at large.
Have you ever noticed how at certain times your female colleagues can create 8 hours of work in only 3 hours?
This is the greatest example of energy efficiency at play.
When you try and force productivity outside of this we have seen how this increases anxiety, impostor syndrome, emotional outbursts and strained relationships.
What Is A Menstrual Cycle?
This is a monthly cycle (which can range between 21 and 40 days depending on the woman and what phase of life she is in) which we split into two halves and four phases:
The first half is the follicular phase which is from menstruation to ovulation and is generally the doing and creating phase
The second half is the luteal phase which is from ovulation to menstruation and is the finer detailed, reflective phase.
The phases are:
Menstrual phase – this is the bleed phase and where many women find their greatest ideas and solutions
Follicular phase – this is post bleed and where you find more scope to challenge and think outside of the box
Ovulation phase – this is about communication and speaking skills at their finest. Plan your presentations here!
Luteal phase – this is where analysis and decision making are at their best.
As you can see, there is way more to a period than the current symptoms portrayed and fertility. By supporting female health, you can radically change the way a business thrives as well as the individual.
How to support energy efficiency
For the individual, knowing how long your menstrual cycle is can show you where your power pockets are. By diary mapping for 3 months, you will begin to see where your energy levels for certain aspects of business are and how you can harness them.
For a business, this is where education is key!
Providing education for everyone to learn from will make this approach easier, especially when combined with flexible working.
Project Woman develops sustainable and fulfilling strategies for individuals and businesses to promote and maintain female health and well-being through our online membership, Period Policy, and Empowering Ally approach.
We believe health can be easy, fulfilling and refreshing for everyone, businesses included.
If you would like to discuss how Project Woman can transform the way you encourage female health, please get in touch with Abi Adams on abi@abiadams.co.uk.
Main – Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
