Menopause at Work
Menopause is a natural biological process all women experience as they age. However, despite being a universal experience, it is often not acknowledged or supported in the workplace. This can lead to various adverse effects on women’s health, productivity, and overall well-being. Having a menopause policy in place can help to address these issues and provide support for women who are going through this transition.
Benefits of having a menopause policy
One of the main benefits of having a menopause policy is that it can help to reduce the physical and emotional symptoms associated with menopause. These can include reduced concentration, low mood, hot flushes, night sweats, fatigue, and mood swings. By providing a supportive and understanding environment, companies can help to alleviate these symptoms and improve the overall well-being of their employees.
Another benefit of having a menopause policy is that it can help to improve productivity and performance. Menopause can be a challenging time for women, both physically and emotionally. Menopause at work is something that companies need to wake up to. By providing support and accommodations, companies can help to reduce the impact of menopause on their employees’ work. Recommendations to support women in the workplace experiencing menopause include;
- Flexible working hours
- Temperature-controlled work environments
- Access to counseling services
Additionally, having a menopause policy can help promote equality and diversity in the workplace. Menopause is a natural biological process that affects all women, yet it is often not acknowledged or supported in the workplace. By providing support and accommodations for women going through menopause, companies can help to promote a more inclusive and equitable work environment.
The recent Government decision to not support women going through menopause at work is a controversial topic, and as Jobs for Women, we expect much pushback. Our January 2023 Linkedin post received massive interaction, reshares, and comments from a wide variety of professionals; important to point out that most of the commenters were women. View the post here.
Quotes from women in our community on the government decision:
“It’s such a shame that people still can’t understand the clear effects that things such as menopause have on people who experience it and how miserable it can be. If men experienced these things it would have been a law accepted a long time ago”.
“So disappointing … the penalty for being female needs to stop”.
“It’s totally farcical and makes absolutely no sense at all”.
“This decision is ill informed and regressive. We know 10% of women leave the workplace due to menopause. We also know that a further 10% consider leaving, stay but step away from their potential.
More women than ever before are the sole or primary earners in their household, even if that is not the case in the current financial crisis most women’s salaries are the difference between comfort and financial concern.
This decision clearly states that women’s contribution to our places of work, economy and society is of no value.”
“How to be disadvantaged in the workplace ??? be a woman. Be expected that anything female is to not to impact your work and for women to be ‘more be like a man’. My suggestion is for men in the powers that be – be subjected to the experience of hormonal female menopause and the onslaught of symptoms that are not to do with the reduction of fertility and mensturation. If we can put men on the moon this canbe done!!”
Menopause is not a disease or a disorder
It is important to note that menopause is not a disease or a disorder; it is a natural biological process that all women will experience. As such, it should be treated with the same level of understanding and support as any other biological process. By providing support and accommodations for women going through menopause, companies can help to promote a more inclusive and equitable work environment.
Gender Health Gap
If you aren’t familiar with the gender pay gap – Google it!
Did you know the lack of research and funding for women’s health is shockingly poor? Less than 2.5% of publicly funded research is dedicated solely to reproductive health, even though one in three women in the UK will suffer from a reproductive or gynecological health problem. There is five times more research into erectile dysfunction, which affects 19% of men, than into premenstrual syndrome, which affects 90% of women.
This is why the government’s pushback on supporting women suffering with menopause at work is, unfortunately no surprise. It’s also important to note that the government also rejected calls for a large-scale pilot of menopause leave in England, adding it was not seen as “necessary” and could turn out to be “counterproductive”.
You can listen to our Gender Health Gap podcast here.
Menopause and the law
We encourage the employers we work with to ensure they take the necessary steps, procedures, and support to help women affected by menopause. This might include having regular conversations and listening to their concerns to help resolve issues early on before any potential legal action is taken.
Employers should also make sure they know how menopause relates to the law, including the:
- Equality Act 2010, which protects workers against discrimination
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which says an employer must, where reasonably practical, ensure everyone’s health, safety and welfare at work
- The menopause is not a specific protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. But if an employee or worker is put at a disadvantage and treated less favourably because of their menopause symptoms, this could be discrimination if related to a protected characteristic, for example:
The benefits of having a company menopause policy
Having a menopause policy in place can provide a range of benefits for companies, including improved productivity, reduced physical and emotional symptoms, and the promotion of equality and diversity in the workplace. The recent Government decision to not support women going through menopause at work is a controversial topic; however, it is important to note that menopause is a natural biological process that all women will experience and should be treated with the same level of understanding and support as any other biological process.