DANIEL GORRY: Staff Matters correspondent looks at the issue of menopause in the workplace and how sympathetic and appropriate support from managers an make all the difference
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Menopause is a workplace issue. In July, the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) published a report highlighting the challenges of fitting menopause-related issues into the existing protected characteristics, calling on the government to make menopause a protected characteristic.
A recent WorkNest poll revealed 65 per cent of employers don’t provide any menopause-specific support to employees. Why is this worrying? The workforce is ageing, and a third of all workers are now aged 50 or over. Menopause is a personal experience and can affect people at work in various ways. Employees may need different levels of support and assistance at what is a challenging time. Attitudes can vary from empathetic and understanding to insensitive, “jokey”, and unsympathetic.
Support from managers
The most important and valuable thing a manager can do is listen and, wherever possible, respond sympathetically to any requests for adjustments at work.
Employees experiencing menopause may need sympathetic and appropriate support from their manager. As with any long-standing health-related conditions, this support can significantly affect how they deal with menopause, enabling them to continue working well and productively.
Managers can only be sympathetic and supportive if they know their staff member is experiencing difficulties. Unfortunately, research has shown that people feel uncomfortable or embarrassed when approaching their manager to discuss any problems managing their menopausal symptoms. This is particularly the case if their manager is younger than them, male, or if they have no idea about menopause.
This can be particularly true for trans or non-binary staff who are not “out” to their colleagues or manager and for men who may be embarrassed to admit that they are affected by their partner’s experiences.
Therefore, as a manager, you must be aware of the symptoms associated with menopause and understand the issues affecting people going through it. This will help foster an environment where we are all more comfortable talking about it.
Be sensitive to any feelings of discomfort. Listen to concerns and complaints. Consider what can be done to lessen the impact symptoms may be having on the staff member’s performance within the workplace – could adjustments be made to allow them to manage their symptoms better?
• You will need to maintain confidentiality in handling health information.
• Specific needs identified should be recorded and reviewed regularly.
• If someone’s performance dips, it’s worth considering whether menopause may be playing a part in this.
• Take medical information into account in capability situations when an employee raises ill-health – seek advice from the employee’s GP or an occupational health practitioner.
• Any absences should be managed in line with company policy, and the manager should use discretion when applying it.
