Empowering Your Workforce: Supporting Menopause in the Workplace on World Menopause Day 2023
Why World Menopause Day is a Workplace Event
Marking the annual World Menopause Day on October 18th is a timely opportunity for employers to acknowledge the significance of menopause for their employees, whether they’ll experience it directly, or indirectly as a partner, colleague, or line manager.
Menopause, a natural or medically induced stage for all women and some members of the trans and non-binary community, can bring about physical, emotional, and mental changes that impact on an individual’s work and overall well-being. Acknowledging and accommodating the challenges faced by menopausal employees is not only a matter of empathy but also a strategic move to foster a more inclusive and productive work environment.
Workplace wellness, a subject relevant across the global workplace given the ongoing trend of the ‘Great Resignation’, becomes even more significant when the impact of menopause on women remaining in the workplace is factored in. One in ten women leave the workforce due to menopause. Valuable skills, knowledge and experience go out of the door with those employees.
How does menopause impact on employees?
Menopause can introduce a variety of challenges that, for some, may at times, impact on work performance, including:
Physical Symptoms: Joint pain, headaches, hot flushes, night sweats, fatigue, and sleep disturbances can disrupt an employee's ability to stay focused and engaged.
Mental Health: Brain fog, cognitive and memory issues, mood swings and anxiety - issues that can affect an employee's emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships in the workplace.
Cognitive Changes: Menopause can impact cognitive functions such as decision-making, problem-solving, and multitasking.
Strategies for employers to support menopause in the workplace:
There are some fairly straightforward ways that employers in all sectors, regardless of size, can use to create a supportive environment for menopausal employees?
Education, Training and Awareness Raising:
Raising awareness about menopause by providing information, guidance and menopause-awareness training to all employees can help break down stigmas, promote empathy and help to develop inclusive practices.
Educating line managers about menopause and its potential impact on employees' performance ensures they will be equipped to provide appropriate support to employees when needed.
Creating supportive and listening cultures:
Equality and inclusion are values to be nurtured. Perimenopause and menopause happens to all women and some members of the trans and non-binary community, regardless of job role, level of education, nationality, religion and ethnicity. Having a supportive culture where employees can talk about concerns such as menopause - their own, a partner’s or colleagues - and know they will be listened to and supported will make a positive difference to employees and workplace - whether through policies, awareness-raising events, signposting or zero-tolerance of banter, or trivialising experiences.
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Offering flexible working hours, changes to work design, changes to shift patterns, or where business needs and roles allow offering remote work options to accommodate the unpredictable, fluctuating nature of menopausal symptoms. Flexible changes that don’t need to be long term or permanent but can make a difference to the employee.
Reasonable adjustments:
Whatever an employee’s location or role, there are simple, low cost adjustments that help those going through menopause and everyone else. Factors to be considered include, temperature, ventilation, work station set ups, PPE, uniforms, access to toilets (particularly for those whose role mean they’re not based in one place), access to drinking water and access to cool, quiet spaces.
Workplace Wellness:
Workplace wellness has become a highly discussed subject across the global workforce. Wellness initiatives focussing on physical activity, stress reduction, and overall well-being can help alleviate menopausal symptoms - helping with attendance and retention.
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs):
It’s not always about introducing new elements. All too often underutilised but many EAPs offer access to counselling services and resources that can help employees manage the emotional and psychological aspects of menopause at a time when they need it.
What are the benefits for employers who support menopause?
By embracing a menopause-friendly strategy, employers can reap a number of benefits:
Improves retention and productivity: Employees who feel supported are more likely to remain loyal and productive.
Promotes diversity and inclusion: A workplace that accommodates different life stages contributes to a diverse and inclusive work environment.
Develops a positive brand image: Prioritising employee well-being enhances your company's reputation and attractiveness to potential hires which will become increasingly important in a changing workplace landscape with an ageing workforce.
Reduces absenteeism: By minimizing the impact of menopausal symptoms, you can reduce absenteeism and improve overall team performance.
By marking World Menopause Day employers can commit to fostering a work culture that respects and embraces the unique challenges faced by menopausal employees. By doing so, employers play a pivotal role in enhancing the well-being and success of their workforce.
September 2023
Positive Pause deliver the most up-to- date menopause in the worklplace training for all employees and line managers.
