Receiving Support from Managers and Teams – Why It Matters More Than You Think
For the 1 in 7 people assigned female at birth in Australia living with endometriosis, work can be a double-edged sword. On one side, employment provides financial security, purpose, and connection. On the other, it can be a place where symptoms are hidden, pain is minimised, and support is hard to come by. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
When leaders and teams understand how to show up for people managing chronic, invisible conditions like endometriosis, the impact can be life-changing. It’s not about grand gestures it’s about creating psychological safety, listening deeply, and making small but consistent changes that add up.
Endo in the Workplace: A Daily Reality
Endometriosis isn’t just “bad period pain.” It’s a whole-body condition that can cause chronic pelvic pain, fatigue, nausea, bowel and bladder problems, and mental health impacts. These symptoms can flare unpredictably, making traditional work models difficult to manage.
Imagine having a high-stakes meeting on the same day you wake up with stabbing pain or trying to contribute to a team workshop while battling brain fog. That’s the daily tension many workers with endo navigate. And because the condition is often misunderstood or unseen, they may do so in silence.
Managers: The Front Line of Support
Whether you’re managing a team of two or two hundred, your response to an employee’s disclosure of endo or their need for adjustments sets the tone. You don’t need to be an expert. But you do need to be present, open, and informed.
Here’s what good support looks like:
Proactive check-ins that ask about capacity and wellbeing not just tasks.
Flexible arrangements that respond to individual needs: working from home, modified hours, or reduced workloads during flares.
No judgement when an employee needs to step back, reschedule, or use leave.
Routine normalisation of workplace adjustments—don’t wait for someone to advocate alone.
As Kim Scott puts it in Radical Candor, effective leaders “care personally and challenge directly.” That means making space for your team to be human while still aiming for excellence. Ask, “What does a great week at work look like for you right now?” It’s a small question that invites real conversation.
Peers and Teams: You Play a Role Too
Support doesn’t just come from managers. Colleagues can be powerful allies.
Here’s how:
Don’t make assumptions or jokes about “period pain.” Endometriosis is serious, not trivial.
Step in with practical help share meeting notes, offer flexibility, ask what’s needed.
Avoid comparing symptoms (“I get painful periods too”) each experience is different.
Speak up when you hear dismissive comments culture is shaped by what we tolerate.
Creating a psychologically safe team doesn’t mean everyone shares everything. It means everyone knows they can share something, and that they’ll be heard, believed, and supported.
What Support Can Unlock
When people with endometriosis feel safe at work, they’re more likely to stay, grow, and thrive. They take less unplanned leave, contribute more fully, and bring rich lived experience to the team.
In contrast, lack of support leads to presenteeism, disengagement, burnout, and resignation. That’s not just a personal loss it’s an organisational one.
Tools and Resources to Help You Act
QENDO’s Workplace Guide – www.qendo.org.au/resources
QENDO Nurse Navigator Service – Free non-clinical support for people managing endo and pelvic pain
Conversation Support Sheet – Sample scripts and tips for workplace discussions
Fair Work Resources – Learn your obligations and employee rights: www.fairwork.gov.au
Let’s Build Better Workplaces Together
Endometriosis is common. And yet, stigma, silence, and system gaps remain.
If you’ve read this and thought, “I don’t know if anyone on my team has endo”—chances are, they do. They just haven’t felt safe enough to say so.
Support starts with listening. It grows with action. And it flourishes in workplaces that prioritise care, flexibility, and inclusion not just policies.
Let QENDO support your team. Book a workplace education session, download our free tools, or reach out to talk about how we can help you make your organisation truly endo-friendly.
👉 Learn more at www.qendo.org.au/workplaces