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Menopause

How employers can create supportive workplaces

Menopause is a natural physical change that usually happens to women between the ages of 45 and 55. Women reach menopause after 12 months without a period and it's the end of the reproductive years.

Lasting two to 10 years, perimenopause and menopausal transition come before reaching menopause. Women often experience unpleasant symptoms during this time.

About one in 100 women experience an earlier menopause. Reasons for this can include chemotherapy and other medicines, or surgery.

There are more than 30 symptoms linked to menopause that can impact work ability. Not everyone going through menopause experiences all symptoms. They often come and go and can be affected by the type and intensity of work.

  • Headaches
  • Hot flushes
  • Increased blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular diseases
  • Osteoporosis
  • Palpitations
  • Reduced muscle mass
  • Reduced sex drive
  • Sleep problems and night sweats
  • Stiff joints, aches and pains
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Difficulties concentrating and making decisions
  • Irritability
  • Loss of confidence
  • Mood changes
  • Poor memory
  • Reduced ability to learn
  • Tiredness

Symptoms can cause a reduced ability to learn new tasks, difficulty paying attention to detail and poor memory. This can affect work productivity and quality.

14 million working days lost per year due to menopause in UK

Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey

Menopause and the workplace

Women's health issues, such as menopause, can be under-recognised in workplaces.

A menopause-friendly workplace means employers need to address physical, mental and social factors.

Women's negative experiences and perceptions of menopause and work reflect that they:

  • believe management labels them as weak, incompetent, unstable and depressed
  • lack support in helping them cope with symptoms
  • need to use annual leave or rest days to cope with their symptoms
  • fear embarrassment, stigmatisation and discrimination when talking to managers and asking for adjustments
  • reduce their working hours or leave employment to cope with their symptoms.

Positive impacts on work ability can come from a supportive work culture where women:

  • feel they are heard and can express their concerns
  • have better supervisor support
  • believe management pay attention to women’s health issues
  • can adopt flexible working hours and hybrid working models.

Employers should look at these areas to support workers.

    Employers should look at how to include menopause management into existing policies covering areas such as:

    • equality, diversity and inclusion
    • hybrid and home working arrangements
    • performance management
    • sickness absence, wellbeing and special leave.

    Take advice from occupational health practitioners to strengthen existing policies and practices.

    Create supportive and inclusive cultures based on effective policies. The aim is to educate managers, supervisors, occupational health practitioners and the general workforce about the menopause.

    Review and adapt policies and procedures as your organisation matures. Keep them relevant to the latest scientific evidence on menopause.

    Employers should consider training to support managers who have women in their teams. This training is to help them understand and be aware of menopause symptoms and the management of women experiencing these symptoms.

    Managers should:

    • know what external support services are available
    • put in reasonable adjustments and consider flexible working, where practicable.

    Women should feel supported by management within the workplace and feel comfortable disclosing symptoms without feeling embarrassed.

    It's good practice to extend training to all staff to make them aware of:

    • menopause and its symptoms
    • impact on work
    • possible solutions
    • communication skills.

    Ensure risk assessment processes are in place that consider specific risks.

    If there's no in-house access to advice on risk assessments for this area, get competent advice from health or occupational health practitioners.

    Women should be able to access evidence-based advice and healthcare and share their experiences.

    This could be from an occupational health or medical professional who is competent to provide this information. Any advice should still be taken with care, making sure it's applicable to the individual.

    A healthy lifestyle outside of work is also beneficial. Organisations can include encouragement within their wellbeing initiatives for:

    • regular exercise
    • healthy eating
    • stopping smoking.

    Organisations should think about reviewing work clothes and the uniform provided or required at work. Some uniforms can generate excess heat, making women more uncomfortable.

    Personal protective equipment (PPE) needs review if a woman finds it too uncomfortable to wear due to menopause symptoms. Re-evaluate the task being carried out. Can the work task or controls be changed to be made safer? Or can they carry out a task that does not need PPE?

    Hazards within the physical work environment can contribute or worsen symptoms. For example: high temperatures, poor ventilation, working in confined spaces, excessive crowding and insufficient rest areas.

    Some adjustments could be considered, such as:

    • opening windows
    • moving a workstation closer to the window
    • use of a desk fan
    • air conditioning.

    Rest areas, access to cold water and washing facilities should be available and accessible.

    Make sure all work areas are well ventilated and not overcrowded. This is to prevent worsening or triggering symptoms.

    Organisations could consider providing opportunities for flexible working, such as changes to working hours, and home or hybrid working.  This helps women to work around their symptoms when needed.

    Assess work demands. Increase a worker's control through job sharing, paced working and task scheduling.

Exposure to endocrine disruptive chemicals, such as those in some cleaning products, may be a risk factor for early menopause. Organisations should conduct assessments for all chemicals on site. Check the laws and regulations for your country. For example, control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) assessments are needed in the UK.

Make sure the health hazards of each chemical are identified and controls put in place. Provide access to occupational health services for workers.