The relationship between period pain and task performance: a moderated mediation model including presenteeism and the emotional intelligence of the supervisor.

Abstract

Despite women making up a large part of the workforce in the Netherlands, a gap remains in the scientific research on their experiences with menstruation at work. The purpose of this study was to break the stigma around menstruation by providing knowledge on the relationship between period pain and task performance. This research expands the existing knowledge on period pain by including mediating and moderating factors. Specifically, this research studied the relationship between period pain and task performance and the mediation of presenteeism. Additionally, the emotional intelligence (EI) of the supervisor was studied to be the moderator between period pain and presenteeism. In total, 254 participants were included. The results of the study showed that period pain was related to lower levels of task performance, as expected. However, the relationship was not mediated by presenteeism; despite period pain being positively related to presenteeism, presenteeism was not significantly related to task performance. The EI of the supervisor did not moderate the relationship between period pain and presenteeism. Organizations should be aware of the relationship between period pain and performance. To create a healthier and more effective workplace, organizations should implement preventative measures that help people that menstruate deal with period pain. Finally, due to the cross-sectional design of this study, a more intricate study, like a longitudinal, diary-like or experimental design might be considered in future research. Research should continue to investigate the effects and relationships of period pain on work life and look into the role of other mediators.