When progressive leave meets corporate reality
As India Inc deepens its commitment to employee-centric workplace policies, it isn't coming without its share of friction and doubts, with concerns being raised even at the C-suite level. What began as a progressive push towards wellness, menstrual and no-questions-asked leave is seeing instances of operational friction, managerial unease and, in some cases, scepticism about execution.
Over the past few years, a growing number of Indian corporates have introduced menstrual leave, expanded wellness benefits and provided flexible work arrangements aimed at supporting employees, particularly women. The shift reflects both social change and competitive necessity, as companies seek to attract and retain talent in an increasingly diverse workforce.
Yet as these policies move from announcement to implementation, organisations are confronted with what one senior executive calls "operational grey areas".
Corporate and HR leaders, speaking mostly off the record, point to patterns such as leave clustering around weekends, alignment challenges in hybrid teams and inconsistent enforcement by line managers. While very few companies are willing to publicly acknowledge misuse, concerns persist.
The CEO of a Delhi-based firm, requesting anonymity, admits the issue has surfaced internally. "It is a very fine line," the executive says. "We cannot roll back on what we started, but we have begun cautioning such erratic employees."
Employees, for their part, largely welcome the autonomy embedded in no-questions-asked leave. But leaders are grappling with apprehensions around uneven application and managerial subjectivity. The challenge is not only about misuse but about maintaining perceptions of fairness across teams.
HR veteran Prabir Jha cautions that a growing typology of leave risks are becoming administratively unwieldy. "More categories mean more complexity, uneven enforcement and managerial subjectivity," he says. Guardrails, he argues, are easier drafted than enforced.
A board member of a Mumbai-based corporate recently raised the issue informally, arguing that misutilisation disrupts the company's equality framework. In another instance, the HR head of a Mumbai-based company was asked by a woman employee whether menstrual leave was necessary "in these times of equality". The response was measured, no one is obligated to take the leave, the HR head explained, but many genuinely need the option.
Consultants argue that design, rather than withdrawal, is the answer. Arvind Usretay, head of human capital consulting, people solutions, Asia at Lockton, says companies are rethinking how such benefits are framed. "Rather than creating narrowly defined 'special' leave categories, many organisations are embedding it within broader, gender-neutral health and wellbeing frameworks that are more inclusive and sustainable," he notes. The shift, he argues, reduces unintended bias and strengthens long-term acceptance.
Even so, edge cases can create discomfort. The HR head of a Chennai-based corporate recounts a situation where an employee availed menstrual leave on a very different day of the month than previously. While biologically plausible, such variations can raise questions, leaving HR professionals to navigate between sensitivity and scrutiny. "What happens in such anomalies is that genuine women employees get caught in the middle," the executive says.
Data suggests that these policies are no longer fringe experiments. The 2025 Best Companies for Women in India study by Avtar Group and Seramount finds that 38% of leading firms now offer formal menstrual leave, with an average of two paid days per month. Nearly 39% provide rest facilities or remote work options during periods, 41% offer mental wellbeing support and 40% ensure access to sanitary napkin dispensers and medical consultations.
Saundarya Rajesh, managing director at Avtar Group, argues that while misuse exists in any leave system, underuse driven by stigma is more prevalent. "Many employees hesitate to disclose menstrual health needs," she says, suggesting that silence may be a bigger organisational risk than excess.
For Usretay, governance is key. Companies should track utilisation data, run pulse surveys and commit to reviewing policies every 18 to 24 months. "Framed correctly, such leave is not a concession but a talent and risk-management lever," he says. Properly integrated, it can reduce burnout, lower unplanned absenteeism and strengthen employer brand.
Over the past few years, a growing number of Indian corporates have introduced menstrual leave, expanded wellness benefits and provided flexible work arrangements aimed at supporting employees, particularly women. The shift reflects both social change and competitive necessity, as companies seek to attract and retain talent in an increasingly diverse workforce.
Yet as these policies move from announcement to implementation, organisations are confronted with what one senior executive calls "operational grey areas".
Corporate and HR leaders, speaking mostly off the record, point to patterns such as leave clustering around weekends, alignment challenges in hybrid teams and inconsistent enforcement by line managers. While very few companies are willing to publicly acknowledge misuse, concerns persist.
The CEO of a Delhi-based firm, requesting anonymity, admits the issue has surfaced internally. "It is a very fine line," the executive says. "We cannot roll back on what we started, but we have begun cautioning such erratic employees."
Employees, for their part, largely welcome the autonomy embedded in no-questions-asked leave. But leaders are grappling with apprehensions around uneven application and managerial subjectivity. The challenge is not only about misuse but about maintaining perceptions of fairness across teams.
HR veteran Prabir Jha cautions that a growing typology of leave risks are becoming administratively unwieldy. "More categories mean more complexity, uneven enforcement and managerial subjectivity," he says. Guardrails, he argues, are easier drafted than enforced.
A board member of a Mumbai-based corporate recently raised the issue informally, arguing that misutilisation disrupts the company's equality framework. In another instance, the HR head of a Mumbai-based company was asked by a woman employee whether menstrual leave was necessary "in these times of equality". The response was measured, no one is obligated to take the leave, the HR head explained, but many genuinely need the option.
Consultants argue that design, rather than withdrawal, is the answer. Arvind Usretay, head of human capital consulting, people solutions, Asia at Lockton, says companies are rethinking how such benefits are framed. "Rather than creating narrowly defined 'special' leave categories, many organisations are embedding it within broader, gender-neutral health and wellbeing frameworks that are more inclusive and sustainable," he notes. The shift, he argues, reduces unintended bias and strengthens long-term acceptance.
Even so, edge cases can create discomfort. The HR head of a Chennai-based corporate recounts a situation where an employee availed menstrual leave on a very different day of the month than previously. While biologically plausible, such variations can raise questions, leaving HR professionals to navigate between sensitivity and scrutiny. "What happens in such anomalies is that genuine women employees get caught in the middle," the executive says.
Data suggests that these policies are no longer fringe experiments. The 2025 Best Companies for Women in India study by Avtar Group and Seramount finds that 38% of leading firms now offer formal menstrual leave, with an average of two paid days per month. Nearly 39% provide rest facilities or remote work options during periods, 41% offer mental wellbeing support and 40% ensure access to sanitary napkin dispensers and medical consultations.
Saundarya Rajesh, managing director at Avtar Group, argues that while misuse exists in any leave system, underuse driven by stigma is more prevalent. "Many employees hesitate to disclose menstrual health needs," she says, suggesting that silence may be a bigger organisational risk than excess.
For Usretay, governance is key. Companies should track utilisation data, run pulse surveys and commit to reviewing policies every 18 to 24 months. "Framed correctly, such leave is not a concession but a talent and risk-management lever," he says. Properly integrated, it can reduce burnout, lower unplanned absenteeism and strengthen employer brand.
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