Impact of menstruation-related stigma and behavior on female employee performance in Bangladesh: mediating role of non-work related stress

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how menstruation specific stigma and behavior impacts female employee performance in Bangladesh. Besides, it aims to investigate if nonwork-related stress has any mediating role in the menstruation-related stigma–employee performance and menstruation-related behavior–employee performance relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model is developed and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 25. A total of 400 respondents participated in a self-administered survey, of which 375 questionnaires were retained after discarding questionnaires with incomplete responses.

Findings

Stigma and behavior related to menstruation were found to have a significant negative effect on female employee performance. Menstruation specific nonwork-related stress was found to partially mediate between menstruation-related stigma–employee performance and menstruation-related behavior–employee performance relationship.

Originality/value

This is the first study to link menstruation specific stigma and behavior and female employee performance using SEM in the context of the Bangladeshi women employees. It is also the first study to investigate the mediating role of nonwork-related stress in the menstruation specific stigma–employee performance and menstruation specific behavior–employee performance relationship in the context of Bangladeshi women employees.

Citation

Zaman, R.T. and Mohiuddin, M.F. (2023), "Impact of menstruation-related stigma and behavior on female employee performance in Bangladesh: mediating role of non-work related stress", South Asian Journal of Business Studies, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 169-185. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAJBS-08-2020-0274