For women in the workplace, managing career goals with the demands of life and family responsibilities is a full-time balancing act. Employers are starting to acknowledge how important it is to support women as they straddle between work and home life, not just to increase workplace productivity but to show that they are valuable team members with lives outside that need managing too. Certain companies have created a new standard for workplace wellness, supporting their female staff with benefits, like paid menstrual leave and time off for fertility treatment. In honour of International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting five companies transforming the workplace environment for women in the Middle East.

Tish Tash

Tish Tash is a Dubai-based marketing agency revolutionising workplace wellness for female employees. Its unique benefits program offers six days of menopause and menstrual leave per year.

P&G

Manufacturing firm Proctor and Gamble (P&G) Middle East announced offers its female staff 14 weeks of fully-paid maternity in the UAE, almost double the legally mandated amount.

Aries Group

Aries Marine and Engineering Services is a UAE-based company that offers its female staff days off to deal with pain from menstruation, in addition to its innovative scheme, “Baby Care Leave.” The ladder is a post-natal benefit allowing female employees one year of leave, followed by an option of an additional year out of the office to work from home. Half-hour breaks are also allotted to staff members who live close to work so that they can take care of their babies.

Jobs.Mom

Jobs.Mom is a company dedicated to connecting soon-to-be and current mothers to potential employers who offer special maternity benefits for their female employees. Founded in 2021, Jobs.Mom has been a credible resource for mothers in the workplace who are looking for extra support.

Pop Communications

POP Communications is a Dubai-based PR and influencer marketing agency that has introduced a four-workweek for its employees. Although it’s not a benefit specifically designed for women, this extra day off can seriously improve the work-life balance for all staff members.