The impact of managing menopause in the workplace can have far-reaching effects on employees, managers and teams. Employers are finally starting to acknowledge that the effects of menopause on workers is a serious issue and that supporting menopausal employees is the best way to create a healthy and happy working environment for everybody.

Menopausal women are now the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce. There are more than 3.5 million working women over the age of 50 in the UK and this number is only going to rise. Nearly 8 out of 10 menopausal women are also working women. Of these, 3 out of 4 will experience menopause symptoms and 1 out of 4 will experience severe menopause symptoms.

Although many employers are motivated to help menopausal workers because of the legal implications (there have been quite a few tribunal cases which did not go well for employers), there are mutual benefits to be gained from giving these women the help and support that they need.

Ideally, women need to be able to talk about their problems and feel safe in doing so. Many women have said that they can often find managing their menopause symptoms very challenging when they are at work as they do not feel comfortable talking about it. According to a survey by the British Menopause Society, 45% of women felt that their menopausal symptoms harmed their work and 47% who needed to take a day off work due to their symptoms said that didn’t tell their employer the real reason for their absence.

Symptoms of menopause

As an employer, it is a good idea to learn more about the symptoms of menopause to develop a better understanding of how this may affect your employees. Even if you’ve been through menopause yourself, it is important to remember that every individual’s experience of menopause will be different and unique to them, and you must acknowledge this, along with the impact that it may have on their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing

Symptoms may include:

  • Night sweats
  • Insomnia
  • Hot flushes
  • Hair thinning
  • Mood disturbances
  • Headaches
  • Joint stiffness
  • Weight gain
  • Memory loss
  • Brain fog
  • Reduced concentration
  • Palpitations
  • Skin changes

Some of these symptoms can cause knock-on effects including stress, depression, anxiety and other issues such as panic attacks and loss of confidence. It is very important to make sure that your employees feel supported and listened to during this process as this can help to reduce any emotional burden.

Women may also suffer symptoms when they are perimenopausal. This is the period leading up the menopause when their bodies are preparing to change. Menopause can occur naturally and can also be brought on by surgery including a hysterectomy, or cancer treatment. Whilst the average age for women to experience menopause in the UK is 51, for some, it may begin at a much younger age.

What can an employer or manager do to help menopausal employees?

Historically people have not spoken about their menopause at work or asked for special consideration. They have simply ‘soldiered on.’ This may be because they felt stigmatised or did not feel comfortable talking about it with their managers. Some felt as though it wouldn’t make any difference – or that they could be treated worse if they spoke up and revealed what was going on, which is why it is so important to start those conversations with your employees. Talking about menopause and demonstrating an understanding of the situation can make a huge difference – as can offering your support, but what else can you do to help as an employer?

  • Be prepared to offer flexible or hybrid working, enabling your employees to adjust their working patterns or work from home
  • Offer counselling via the workplace
  • Give the option to have more regular breaks, or additional breaks when needed
  • Allow more time to more time for your employee to prepare before meetings or appointments
  • Listen when needed and let them know they can come to you for confidential help or support
  • Effectively manage any conflicts between employees
  • Don’t make assumptions. Most people experience different symptoms so don’t compare them to others and take your lead from the individual and what they are telling you about their symptoms and how it is impacting their work.
  • Check your policies – they may need to be updated to better support menopausal employees. Menopausal employees are also protected by Acts including the Equality Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act so make sure you know where you stand
  • You may want to carry out a specialist risk assessment, taking into account factors such as the temperature and ventilation in your working environment, the materials used in any uniform or corporate wear and access to showers and drinking water

Menopause does not need to be an awkward or embarrassing topic for you or your employee. There is no reason why any woman should have to take time out or even quit her job because of menopause.  Sometimes just a few simple changes to the working environment can make the world of difference and enable someone with menopausal symptoms to continue working effectively to the best of their potential. Talking openly can reduce the impact of symptoms such as stress and anxiety for some – and when your employees are happy, this will have a positive impact on your business with the potential of reduced staff turnover and increased productivity.

What can menopausal employees do to improve their work situation?

If you are experiencing menopause at work there are many things your employer should be doing to support you and you have a lot of legal protection if they are not.

Taking it up with a manager can seem daunting if you don’t usually talk to them about this kind of thing. If your company has an HR department you may feel more comfortable talking to someone there, or a different member of your management team instead. It might help you to prepare what you are going to say by making some notes.

  • List your menopausal symptoms and how frequently they affect you
  • Describe how this is affecting your work
  • Suggest some solutions or practical changes that could help

If your employer has policies already in place, they may be able to recommend some solutions and start implementing them straight away. Others may need a nudge in the right direction. You may need to ask them for things such as:

  • Flexible or hybrid working
  • A different, breathable uniform if you are experiencing hot flushes, or spares to change into (and somewhere to get changed)
  • Moving to a cooler part of the building or getting a fan
  • Using technology to take notes or set reminders if you find that you are suffering from memory issues

As well as talking to your boss, if you have other colleagues living through the same experience then you may find it useful to speak to them and share what you are going through. If you don’t have any peers to talk to, menopause can be a lonely experience and you may want to find support in other ways through online forums or resources or in person at a Menopause Café.

Menopause Facts

  • The Equality Act 2010 asserts that although menopause is not an illness or disability, the effects of the symptoms experienced can be disabling for women which means that employers who fail to properly support women could be found to be discriminatory
  • The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 provides for safe working, which includes working conditions when experiencing symptoms of menopause
  • It is estimated that around 13 million women in the UK are currently perimenopausal or menopausal right now. This is around one-third of the entire UK female population

The CIPD (A professional body for HR and people development) has a great online information sheet – A Guide to managing Menopause at Work which is packed with information to help you do just that.

At Develerate we have a selection of bespoke courses that can be tailored to your needs.  One of our latest bespoke courses is Menopause awareness which can be delivered online or in a group face-to-face setting over a half day for the whole course, or this can be delivered in a lunch and learn format as an alternative.

If you’d like to discuss Menopause Awareness, email hello@develerate.com for more details. We would love to hear from you