Menopause in the workplace

Once menopause in the workplace was a taboo subject. Now it is (hopefully) becoming a topic more discussed and supported within the workplace. Menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic in business, but 72% of women say they feel unsupported in work with 99% reporting that their menopausal symptoms affect their work.

It is vital that workplaces recognise the impact that menopause can have on a woman’s ability to work. An Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) recently ruled that severe menopausal symptoms can amount to a disability under the Equality Act. Therefore, workplaces are at risk of facing legitimate claims of discrimination against sex, gender, and disability if menopausal issues are not taken seriously or supported properly.

Managing personal matters in a professional environment needs to be handled appropriately. Otherwise organisations put themselves at risk of discrimination or even harassment claims. This may sound daunting as it cannot be ignored for fear of lack of support. However opening the topic of conversation can also result in discrimination claims if not handled properly. HR is perfectly placed to champion these kinds of issues and help organisations to support their employees appropriately.

Facts about menopause:

• The average age for menopause to start is 51, but many start before this – 1 in 100 will start before the age of 40 and 1 in 1000 before the age of 30.
• There are 34 different symptoms (but some experts argue there are up to 66).
• Menopause is a transitional period, which can last over a decade in some cases.
• Only 5% of women listed menopause on their doctors note for sickness leave. Over 1/3rd stated anxiety/depression/stress. This can be because:
• 1. Women may feel embarrassed due to the stigma and put down these other reasons instead. Or:
• 2. Often menopause is wrongly diagnosed as the symptoms point to these issues also.
• There is not yet enough understanding or compassion in healthcare to correctly identify all cases of menopause, especially early menopause. Many women report that they are not listened to when it comes to premature menopause.

3 things you can do to support the women in your workplace

• Training on the impacts, understanding and handling of menopause in the workplace is essential to fostering a healthy working environment. This is especially so for women in senior roles. Tackling it well will therefore having happier staff. The benefits of supporting your staff properly are tremendous. It increases retention, productivity and reduces stress. Reasons too important to ignore.
• Whilst not currently a legal requirement, a Menopause policy can help an organisation provide a framework and point of reference. It can help to both support their employees and also to help avoid any legal issues. However, these will only be effective when accompanied with training and good dialogue. Having a standalone policy will not be enough.
• Creating a healthy dialogue within the workplace is so important when it comes to looking after the wellbeing of staff. It is not just a women’s issue. In order to create a healthy dialogue men need to understand the impacts too. Seek HR support for this because improper handling can cause more harm than good.

Why act now?

• The CIPD advises the following:
• By supporting women through the menopause, your organisation will benefit from increased engagement and loyalty, as well as lower sickness absence and employee turnover. Fostering an age- and gender-inclusive workplace will help you tap into the valuable skills and talent that men and women of all ages have to offer.
  Employers also have a legal duty to ensure working conditions don’t exacerbate someone’s symptoms – and to protect employees from discrimination.
  Finally, by removing barriers to progression for women could help you close your gender pay gap.

What are the Key points when supporting menopause in the workplace?

• It’s important that women experiencing the menopause feel properly supported and included in their working environments.
• • Employers need to promote awareness of the symptoms associated with menopause transition, encourage open conversations and communicate the considerable organisational benefits of embracing an older female workforce.
• • It’s also useful to think about ways in which to actively include employees in the ongoing development of support and guidance on the menopause, for example by engaging with any employee or women’s networks including health and wellbeing champions.
• • All women should be given information on how they can get support for any issues that arise as a result of the menopause, including access to information on how they can help to alleviate some of their symptoms.
• Some women might feel uncomfortable going to their line manager for support and other options should be available. This may be through HR, an employee support group or an external Employee Assistance Programme. Many employers have employee assistance programmes that can also be helpful.