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Summary
Gender impacts workplace experiences through financial burdens like appearance standards, menstrual health costs, and unpaid office labour, emphasising the need for systemic change to ensure fairness and inclusivity.
Workplaces are framed as spaces of productivity, innovation, and financial stability. However, these benefits are not equally accessible to all. Women face disproportionate financial burdens, rigid beauty standards, and workplace biases rooted in patriarchal norms. Employment should empower all workers, yet it often reinforces systemic inequalities that make professional success more challenging for women.
Work is not just about earnings; it also involves financial and social expenditures, from personal upkeep to meeting workplace expectations. Women, in particular, are pressured to conform to unrealistic expectations, from their appearance to their role in office dynamics.
This report examines how appearance standards, menstruation, and workplace biases shape financial and professional experiences for women.
The Big Numbers
This survey had 104 respondents, with 55% identifying as men and 45% as women. In terms of education, 80% were undergraduates with a BSc or equivalent, while 16% were postgraduates with an MSc, MBA, or other advanced degrees. The median age of respondents was 29, with most participants falling between the ages of 25 and 34. The average monthly earnings across men and women in this sample population stood at ₦200,000.
Period Tax: The Cost of Menstruating at Work
Menstrual health is a workplace issue, yet it remains largely ignored by employers. Despite the removal of VAT on sanitary pads under the 2020 Finance Bill, the cost of menstrual products has continued to rise, from an average of ₦450 in 2021 to ₦1,500 in 2024, according to Premium Times Nigeria.
More than half (52%) of respondents reported missing work or an important engagement due to period-related symptoms. A staggering 80% stated that their workplace does not provide any menstrual health support, such as access to sanitary products or menstrual leave policies. Additionally, 63% of respondents hesitated to request time off for period-related illnesses due to stigma and workplace expectations.
Menstruation is a natural biological process, yet women are often forced to endure discomfort and shame in professional settings. The lack of menstrual leave and basic sanitary support shows the systemic disregard for women’s health in the workplace.
Beauty Tax: The Cost of Looking ‘Work-Ready’
Women are held to higher and more expensive grooming standards than men, reinforcing sexist expectations about femininity and professionalism. The median monthly beauty maintenance cost among respondents was ₦20,000. The most common grooming expenses for both men and women included hair care, skincare, and clothing.
However, women typically maintain four beauty routines, including hair, skincare, clothes, and nails, while men maintain only two, focusing primarily on hair and skincare. Despite the absence of strict workplace dress codes, societal expectations place a greater financial burden on women to maintain their appearance.
Bias Tax: The Cost of Navigating Workplace Sexism
Workplace norms disproportionately place administrative and emotional labour on women, reinforcing outdated gender roles. A significant 68% of women reported being assigned or expected to take on administrative tasks outside their job role, compared to 49% of men.
In addition, 65% of women stated they had to alter their appearance at work to avoid unwanted attention, while 49% of men shared the same experience. While 70% of men said they feel comfortable reporting harassment or discrimination at work, only 55% of women expressed the same confidence. Furthermore, 26% of women admitted they fear reporting harassment due to possible career consequences. Women are often expected to handle “office housework,” such as organising meetings, managing logistics, and handling administrative duties. These tasks contribute little to career advancement but consume time and energy.
Turning Awareness Into Action
Raising awareness is the first step, but meaningful change requires action. Organisations need to address systemic inequalities by implementing policies that foster inclusivity and fairness.
To achieve workplace equity, companies must eliminate unfair grooming standards, normalise menstrual health support with flexible policies and sanitary products, and end unpaid office labour based on gender. Additionally, they must ensure harassment policies are trusted and effective to protect employees from retaliation.
To create truly equitable workplaces, companies must go beyond performative efforts and take tangible steps to ensure fairness and inclusivity for all employees. Read the full report on PaidHR here.
