Menopause will affect almost half the workforce in the UK. But this natural stage of life is still taboo for lots of employers. This Menopause Awareness Month, we’re looking at how to create a supportive environment for menopausal employees. We’ll also see how doing that can improve and enhance workplace culture, productivity and staff retention. 

The average age for menopause in the UK is 51. And women over 50 make up nearly a third of the UK’s female workforce. That means it’s likely that lots of your employees are either approaching or already going through it.  

It’s vital that you support people during this potentially difficult time. If you don’t, you run the risk of losing valuable talent. This is particularly true of senior staff who might feel there’s a lack of understanding of their symptoms at work. 

What happens when people reach menopause?

The time leading up to menopause is called peri-menopause – when hormones start changing and people have menopause symptoms.

Peri-menopause usually begins when women are in their 40s. But it can start as early as 35. That means some women can have symptoms for a decade before they officially reach menopause.

These symptoms can be both physical and psychological. They include hot flushes, night sweats, joint pain, mood swings, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and memory issues. Some people also suffer from anxiety, depression, panic attacks and loss of confidence. 

A huge 75% of women have some symptoms during menopause. And for 25% of them, these symptoms can have a real impact on quality of life and performance at work. They can also lead to people taking time off sick, or coming to work feeling ill, stressed or disengaged. 

What are employers' obligations?

Employers have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to look after their employees’ health, safety and welfare. That means it’s vital you take steps to make anyone approaching menopause feel safe and supported at work. 

It isn’t just about legal obligations though. A lack of support for menopausal symptoms can alienate employees, especially those in senior positions. Creating an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their health will promote a more inclusive workplace culture. It’ll also show that you value diversity across all life stages.

How to help your menopausal employees

1. Use your research to post in the right place

Talking about menopause can be difficult. Awareness training and education is key to overcoming this.

It’ll help managers and HR teams understand the symptoms and show them how to support employees. They’ll also learn how to approach the topic sensitively, without making anyone feel uncomfortable.

It’s a good idea to give all employees, not just those experiencing menopause, access to educational resources too. This will build a culture of understanding throughout your organisation. And it’ll make sure the whole workforce knows the impact menopause can have.

2. Encourage communication

Open dialogue can normalise discussions about menopause. It’ll also make employees feel more comfortable talking to their managers about it.

There are likely to be some people who don’t want to discuss this part of their lives with colleagues they work with every day though. Think about setting up a single point of contact (like a welfare officer, for example) who’s trained in dealing with this. People often find it easier to approach someone who isn’t their manager.

3. Bring in a menopause policy

A menopause policy formalises your organisation’s commitment to helping employees through this stage. It also shows you want to build a supportive culture, and that you care about their health and wellbeing.

Your policy should list all the available support, and how to organise workplace adjustments. It can also include guidance on having conversations about menopause, and details of external help.

4. Be more flexible

Menopausal symptoms fluctuate and change. So some days can be worse than others, and employees will need different support at different times.

Flexible working is a great way to make this happen. You could allow people to start or finish later if they can’t sleep or are feeling tired, for example. Or you could let them work from home some days, or take extra breaks when they’re in the office.

Flexibility like this will empower your employees to manage their symptoms in ways that work for them. And it could boost both productivity and wellbeing.

5. Offer workplace adjustments

Workplace adjustments are when you change the work environment to help employees continue performing at their best. They can go a long way to help menopausal employees.

Here are some suggestions.

• Improve temperature control. Hot flushes are one of the most common menopause symptoms. Give people access to good ventilation, fans or air conditioning.
• Create quiet, private spaces. Employees can us these to take a break if they're feeling tired or anxious, or struggling to concentrate.
• Offer ergonomic workstations and comfortable seats. These can help with joint pain and physical discomfort. another common symptom or menopause.
• Improve bathroom access. For example, you could move an employee's desk closer to the loo to make them feel more secure.
• Carry out risk assessments. Use these to check for potential risks to people going through menopause.

6. Offer external help

There are lots of organisations that can give you and your staff help and advice about menopause. Here are just a few:

• Menopause Matters
• The British Menopause Society
• Women’s Health Concern.

The NHS website has several resources available too.

Counselling or wellbeing workshops can also help employees with the psychological and emotional aspects of menopause. 

Doing the right thing for the right reasons

Helping staff going through menopause isn’t just the right thing to do. It makes sound business sense too.

That’s because it’ll help you build an inclusive and supportive work culture. This in turn means you’ll keep valuable talent, improve employee engagement and boost productivity. It’ll also make your organisation more attractive in a competitive recruitment market.

Interested in other ways to improve your recruitment strategies? Get in touch with your nearest Pure office today.