Menopausal women are reported to be the fastest growing demographic in the British workforce. Despite this, women experiencing menopausal symptoms often feel that their work is negatively affected and they are unable to discuss it with their managers.

In a UK-wide survey, the British Menopause Society found that 45% of women felt that menopausal symptoms had a negative impact on their work, whilst almost a million women have reportedly left their jobs as a result of menopause symptoms. Given that menopause mainly affects women in their late 40s and early 50s, this can lead to highly experienced women at the peak of their careers leaving work.

“Workplace support with menopause does not need to require a big upheaval.”

For women in the workplace experiencing menopause, common symptoms they may be dealing with include hot flushes, trouble sleeping and mood swings. Understandably, these symptoms can make it hard to focus at work and negatively impacting the productivity of the women experiencing them.

A further barrier to effectively managing the impact of menopause on women in the workplace is the stigma associated with it. The British Menopause Society found that 47% of women who needed to take a day off work due to menopause symptoms didn’t tell their employer the real reason they had to take time off.

An increased rate of sickness and an inability to tell their employer the true reason for this, coupled with decreased productivity, can not only make staff feel isolated, it could also lead to disciplinary action by employers who are unaware of what they are going through.

What does workplace menopause support look like?

Workplace support with menopause does not need to require a big upheaval. Simply working with managers to creative a positive, open environment for menopausal employees to discuss their symptoms can help them feel supported and understood.

Further supportive action could include providing a desk fan, flexibility with dress codes or uniforms, assigning a private ‘rest area’ to manage symptoms, facilitating requests for changes to working patterns and allowing more frequent breaks.

Employers can also consider introducing a right to ‘menopause leave’ for affected staff. A proposal to trial this by Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee was recently rebuffed by the government, placing it firmly in the hands of employers.

With menopausal women consisting of a growing chunk of the workforce, there’s a clear business case for employers to ensure that they have the necessary support structure in place to enable menopausal women to feel supported, understood and able to continue in their role.

My HR Hub is passionate about making a difference to the health and wellbeing of SME employees across the UK. Request a free consultation today and we can discuss the options available to you.