Menopause support: Why the time is now
By Jo Faragher on 10 March 2022
Not so many years ago it was a taboo topic, but more recently menopause has become an important workplace issue.
Digital health platform Peppy recently analysed Google search data, and over the course of 2021, searches for ‘menopause at work’ topped 3,500; ‘menopause struggling at work’ were 2,200; and menopause at work 1,890. In total, there were more than 5 million searches for menopause-related terms. The fact that celebrities such as Davina McCall have championed the cause in recent months has led many organisations to consider how they support their own employees going through this stage of life.
The Women and Equalities Committee in the UK House of Commons recently conducted research as part of an ongoing inquiry into the impact of menopause on the workplace, finding that as many as one in three women need to take time off work due to menopause symptoms. Despite this, only 11% had requested adjustments in the workplace. For employers, the consequences of not making adjustments are not just sickness absence and employees feeling less productive – references to menopause in tribunal hearings have tripled in the past three years, meaning it could become a legal risk to ignore. In fact, Caroline Nokes, chair of the WEC, has “not ruled out” menopause becoming a protected characteristic under the UK Equality Act in the future.
Waking up
A number of organisations have been early movers in supporting menopause at work – most recently London’s City Hall said it would grant employees menopause leave alongside support such as temperature-controlled areas and private areas for resting. Nel Woolcott, managing director of Anne Corder Recruitment, says organisations are beginning to wake up to the potential costs of losing people who may consider leaving due to their symptoms, realising that being open about support could even attract staff. “A menopause-friendly workspace will encourage the retention of staff despite the challenges that they are facing,” she argues. “One way of attracting staff experiencing the menopause is to be open about your policy that show you are a supportive employer. Some organisations will offer flexible working solutions to accommodate symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog etc. Upskilling managers to be able to discuss issues surrounding menopause without feeling awkward is a massive step.”
Dr Mridula Pore, CEO of health support service Peppy, says the pandemic can be linked to a rise in menopause support as organisations reviewed their benefits. “They wanted to better support their most valued asset through what was a hugely difficult period for everyone. I think reviewing workplace menopause support was a natural part of this process,” she says. That said, she believes there is still some way to go, including organisations’ knowledge and experience of allied conditions such as perimenopause and early menopause, which have symptoms that can be just as impactful. “It’s still fairly early days for the workplace menopause movement, and so there is still a lot of confusion between menopause, perimenopause and post-menopause in terms of how long each phase lasts and how they differ,” she adds. “As the subject is becoming more of a mainstream conversation, these nuances will be better understood. We know there is a need to educate employers but I think employers also understand they don’t necessarily need to know the full extent of symptoms and solutions as long as they have the right support in place from a third party, and are not just ‘ticking a box’.”
Inclusive language
Something organisations also need to be mindful of when crafting menopause policies is that language is fully inclusive, says Jack Latus, CEO of Latus Health. “Organisations should strive to make menopause policies inclusive for everyone and the primary way of doing this is through gaining an awareness of what women experience at all stages and the challenges that are specific to that and then proposing solutions that allow them to cope with these symptoms,” he says. “Using gendered language when it comes to menopause can also be problematic, as those who identify as men but were born with a female reproductive system and haven’t undergone any hormonal therapy will still experience menopause but may feel hesitant to reach out for help in the workplace due to menopause being a ‘women’s’ issue. Similarly, more research needs to be done into the physical experiences of those who identify as women but were born with a male reproductive system, especially if they have been taking hormonal therapy, as they may experience some similar symptoms to cisgender women.”
The services employers provide should create a culture that is supportive for those who are happy to be more vocal about the issues they face but also acknowledge that some people may wish to keep their symptoms or concerns private, he adds. Do nothing, however, and the consequence may mean high attrition among menopausal employees or an inability to attract what is a growing demographic. Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%. “People are living and working longer,” adds Latus. “There are 3.5 million women over the age of 50 in the workforce, and this number is set to rise. Those who don’t receive adequate support for their menopause are more likely to take time off sick or even leave their job, this ties into the costs of absenteeism, presenteeism, and replacing an employee for businesses,” he adds.
Inside and out support
Weight management company WW (formerly Weight Watchers) recently launched a menopause support policy for both members and company employees. Menopause Matters is a suite of policies and measures including training for managers to ensure they have the knowledge to support staff; menopause-specific training for Mental Health First Aiders; flexible working if staff need to take time off due to menopause-related symptoms; and cool reflection rooms and desk fans and a toolkit so all employees can see what support is available.
WW UK general manager Anna Hill says that – as a menopausal woman herself – it was important that the company embraced the cause “with real integrity” as around 80% of employees are female, and a large proportion of its customer base. “We offer a generous sick leave policy so we encourage employees to use it if they experience symptoms,” she explains. Revamped office spaces help employees have some quiet times or access sanitary products if necessary, and WW signposts employees to its Vitality health insurance programme, which includes the Peppy health app.
Supporting menopausal employees fits well with WW’s purpose and values, she adds. “Companies are losing way too many women in their 50s and our support helps them not just with menopause but with healthy eating that can ease symptoms. It makes total sense that we should be doing something as it’s so relevant to our brand.” Hill also stresses the need for organisations to “not just leave it until employees are 40 or 50”, ensuring resources are targeted at younger and male audiences as well. “Younger people need to understand why colleagues or relatives feel the way they do, it makes them better partners, managers and co-workers,” she concludes. “This is a conversation we need to make sure we’re having everywhere.”
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