How to Support Menopause in the Workplace

According to GOV, around 13 million women in the UK currently experience menopause or perimenopause – which is roughly one-third of the female working demographic.

With statistics like these, employers have both a lawful and moral responsibility to provide support for employees going through the menopause at work. From spotting the signs to raising awareness, your duty is to promote a supportive, inclusive, and comfortable place of work for employees with menopause.

Without proper management, you could end up making their menopausal symptoms worse – resulting in discrimination claims, tribunal hearings, compensation fines, and reputational damage to your business. For more information, speak to one of our expert Health & Safety advisors for free today.

In this guide, we’ll look at what menopause is, what the symptoms are, and how to support menopausal employees in the workplace.

What is menopause?

Menopause is a natural stage of life, affecting most women and people who have a menstrual cycle. It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 years old respectfully. There are three distinct stages of menopause:

• Perimenopause.
• Menopause.
• Postmenopause.

Any one of these menopausal transition stages can affect individuals differently. It’s important for employers to understand what menopause is, what the effects are, and how to support their staff going through any one of the stages.

What are symptoms of menopause?

Women and people with menstrual cycles face a cease in their periods, where their ovaries lose their reproductive function. This usually lasts for at least 12 consecutive months. The NHS list some of the most common symptoms of menopause:

• Menstruation: A change in normal pattern for periods; or complete cease altogether.
• Mental health: Mood swings; anxiety; low self-esteem; depression.
• Physical health: Hot flushes; difficulty sleeping; heart palpitations; headaches/migraines; muscle aches/joint pains; change in body weight; reduced sex drive; vaginal dryness; recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

How long does menopause last?

According to the British Menopause Society, menopausal symptoms last on average for more than 7 years. It’s estimated that more than a third of women experience long-term menopausal symptoms for continuous years beyond its starting stages.

These factors are likely to be influenced by the person’s genetics, as well as things like race, ethnicity, culture, lifestyle, and environment.

What legal rights do employees with menopause have?

Employees going through the menopause (at any stage) are eligible for numerous legal rights related to their condition. For example:

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states employers must (where reasonably practical) ensure the health, safety, and welfare of everyone within their workplace. This includes ensuring employees with menopause are able to work safely and in comfort.

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 states employees are protected from discrimination relating to nine protected characteristics. An employee with menopause could face discrimination though the following examples:

Age discrimination: An employee makes regular jokes about going through menopause to female colleagues who are older than him.

Disability discrimination: A recruitment manager decides to reject a candidate’s job application because they requested reasonable adjustments for their menopausal symptoms.

Gender reassignment discrimination: A line-manager makes remarks regarding a transgender colleague stating it’s biologically impossible for them to go through menopause.

Sex discrimination: A team-leader denies all female employees over the age of 50 any training or career opportunities based on the assumption that they won’t be fit enough to perform well in their role.

How to support menopause in the workplace

Menopause is a health and wellbeing concern which employers need to handle with care and sensitivity. This applies no matter what level of menopause an employee has, with whatever symptoms they may be going through.

Businesses have a legal, ethical, and moral responsibility to protect the welfare of this demographic in their workforce. Let’s take a look at how employers can support employees going through menopause in their workplace:

Create a menopause policy

Employers should start by creating an employment policy that covers menopause. The policy should cover what menopause is, what the symptoms are, and how the business aims to provide support to those with the condition.

Your menopause policy should be made available for all staff, be regularly reviewed, and stand as the basis of any training on menopausal awareness. It can also cross-reference others policies; like health & safety, employee wellbeing, or diversity and inclusion.

Conduct a menopause risk assessment

Employers have a lawful responsibility for the health, safety, and welfare of their staff at work. To show compliance with this legal duty, employers should conduct a risk assessment for menopausal employees.

This assessment can help ensure an employee’s menopausal condition isn’t worsened because of their job. It can also highlight potential reasonable adjustments employers can introduce; like:

• Providing suitable room temperatures and ventilation at work.
• Ensuring work uniforms are comfortable, breathable, and fit well.
• Providing a quiet place to rest when needed.
• Having easy access to toilet facilities.
• Checking whether cold drinking water is available.
• Ensuring management are fully trained on health & safety issues relating to menopause.

Manage menopause-related sickness absences

Anyone going through menopause will face their own version of symptoms and severity. Employers need to treat staff with menopause based on individual circumstances. This attitude may reflect in areas like managing attendance records and sickness absences.

If an employee is off work sick due to their menopause, employers should record these absences separately from other forms. That’s because including it within their overall attendance records could be seen as unfair or even discriminatory.

Cover menopause through staff training

A great way to encourage employees to talk about the effects of menopause is by covering it through staff training. Employers can offer training to either those in senior leadership roles, or to the entire workforce. Managers who receive training on menopause will be able to:

• Show compliance with the law relating to menopause.
• Understand how to talk to employees who’ve raised concerns about menopause.
• Acknowledge that every individual’s case will vary in symptoms and severity.
• Provide guidance on how the business aims to support those with menopause.
• Outline reasonable adjustments to work duties, locations, and conditions.

Manage work-related performance management

If an employee is suffering from menopausal symptoms at work, they may not be able to perform at their top level. It’s in everyone’s best interest (like the individual, their teams, and the employer themselves) to help them reach their full potential again.

Compare performance records to those before their menopausal conditions were declared. This will indicate a goal for them to aspire to or even overtake. Employers should also conduct regular performance management meetings to help praise good efforts and address ongoing issues.

Acknowledge medical confidentiality

Not everyone experiencing menopausal symptoms will be comfortable in sharing their situations at work. They might worry about facing stigma, judgment, or even prejudice due to their condition.

Employees have a legal right not to disclose medical information to their employment (within reason). However, employers should promote open conversations on menopause – making them feel confident enough to reach out for help when they’re ready.

Assign menopause and wellbeing champions

No matter what your business may be, it’s beneficial to have someone who’s in charge of raising awareness on menopause in the workplace. These individuals stand as your main point of contact if employees want to talk about their personal situation.

Employers should work alongside their menopause champions to:

• Organise workshops on raising awareness for menopause.
• Inform staff on how to recognise the symptoms of menopause and provide support to colleagues.
• Carry out health and safety checks and risk assessments for employees at different stages of menopause.
• Set up a support network for employees affected by menopause, providing access to resources and services.

Get expert advice on supporting menopause in the workplace with Peninsula

Employers have a legal duty for the health, safety, and welfare of their staff – and that applies to employees with menopause. With the right help, you’ll be able to promote a comfortable workplace environment– helping them manage their conditions through tough times.

Peninsula offers expert advice on supporting menopause in the workplace. We offer 24-hour H&S advice – helping you establish a positive, safe, and inclusive workplace environment for women-related health issues.

Want to find out more? Contact us on 0800 028 2420 and book a free consultation with one of our Health and Safety consultants today.

Sources

No Time to Step Back: the government’s Menopause Employment Champion | GOV

Symptoms-Menopause | NHS

What is the menopause? | British Menopause Society