CD Projekt is considering rolling out menstrual leave following GOG's new initiative
"Breaking taboos can only be done by speaking up and making an awkward topic a normal conversation."
Following GOG's example, CD Projekt is reportedly considering introducing paid menstrual leave for its employees.
In recognition of the impact period pain has on some staff, at the time of the announcement GOG said the "experimental" leave "breaks taboos" and is "yet another step towards making GOG an even more inclusive workplace", but it won’t stop its "continuous efforts to learn, reflect and improve on how we can do better for all of our team members".
Given the initiative was announced at the start of April not everyone was convinced of the sincerity of the announcement, but Axios confirms the scheme was introduced following the personal experiences from inside GOG's own team.
"Menstrual Leave fosters inclusiveness by accepting that there are biological differences in the workplace. By giving additional days off for those experiencing menstrual period pain, we acknowledge these symptoms are real," the company said on LinkedIn.
"Breaking taboos can only be done by speaking up and making an awkward topic a normal conversation. Implementing Menstrual Leave is yet another step towards making GOG an even more inclusive workplace, and we won’t stop in our continuous efforts to learn, reflect and improve on how we can do better for all of our team members."
The leave is for "whenever period pains occur" and will be fully paid, with the company estimating that staff with painful periods will take off an additional one day per quarter.
PC Gamer reached out to GOG's parent company, CD Projekt - which employs over 1000 people - to ask if other companies in the firm's network were similarly going to trial the scheme. According to CD Projekt PR director Radek Grabowski, "GOG is spearheading this initiative, and we're looking into it further for the whole CD Projekt".
It's one of a number of new initiatives in the games industry that aims to improve the support, wellbeing, and retention of its staff, such as Bandai Namco Mobile's fully-paid four-day working week trial, and Guerrilla Games choosing to delay the release of Horizon Forbidden West in part to avoid its employees having to crunch.