Making your organisation menopause friendly

A recent survey of 1,000 women suggested that nearly three-quarters (70%) feel unsupported by their employer during menopause*. So, even though we have been celebrating World Menopause Awareness Month and World Menopause Day since 2009, there is still work to do to create a country-wide menopause-friendly workplace.

There is no doubt that menopause is being talked about more. With advocates in the media such as Davina McCall and the appointment of Mariella Frostrup who takes the reigns from Helen Tomlinson as the Government’s menopause employment champion, things are improving. The new Employment Rights Bill, announced on 10 October 2024, will also require large employers to create an action plan that addresses how they will support employees through menopause. Although full details are yet to be published it does demonstrate a commitment from the government to tackle the situation for the 13 million women in the UK that are either peri or post-menopausal.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) also recently set out employers’ legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and placed a strong emphasis on reducing the stigma and normalising discussion around menopause in the workplace.

Under the Equality Act 2010, inappropriate and insensitive handling of menopause could be considered as indirect sex and/or age discrimination. In addition, severe menopausal symptoms could constitute a disability, invoking the protections associated with disability discrimination.  

As a business owner, you have a responsibility and duty to make reasonable adjustments for all employees who are classified as disabled and protect them from less favourable treatment. If you don’t, you risk the situation leading to an employment tribunal claim, as well as potential reputational damage and employee relations issues.

From a commercial perspective, business owners may also risk losing valuable talent from their business if they don’t support menopausal employees. As a high percentage of women will experience menopause symptoms at some stage, it’s good practice for businesses to do as much as possible to support them.

What can businesses do to become ‘menopause friendly’?  

• Equip line managers - It’s important that line managers understand that it’s their responsibility to support their employees with health issues. Menopause is no exception. They will likely be the first point of contact when an employee has a health concern. Effective management of team members with menopausal symptoms that are impacting on their work will help you to improve your team’s morale, retain valuable skills and talent and reduce sickness absence. 
• Promote open and honest conversations - Menopause can affect your employees’ confidence, so they will likely find it very daunting talking to someone who has no knowledge/awareness of the subject. Whilst it’s a sensitive and personal subject, it’s important that businesses create an open and honest space for employees to discuss their health issues. Promote an ‘open door’ policy, where an employee can have private and confidential discussions regarding personal matters. And ‘check in’ with employees who you know are suffering from menopause symptoms, especially if they are working remotely, and make sure they feel supported. 
• Training and awareness – Training for managers is vital if they are to be equipped with the knowledge to be able to support a colleague in menopause.  Line managers don’t need to be medical experts, nor should they be. A good level of knowledge, understanding how they can support and how to have a good, supportive conversation makes a big difference. The training your managers receive should be geared towards changing their levels of knowledge and awareness about menopause, attitudes toward menopause, confidence in talking about menopause, considering and (where appropriate) making reasonable adjustments to an employee’s role or working environment, and also challenging beliefs and barriers around talking about it at work. 
• Manage performance effectively - If an employee’s performance is suffering, it’s important to help find the cause. Menopausal symptoms can be so serious that they affect an employee’s performance at work. It’s in everyone’s interest to discuss potential adjustments that could help the individual perform to their full potential. This should be done proactively, as and when the issue arises. Where there are suspected or known health issues, these should be explored, prior to any formal processes for underperformance. 
• Risk assessments and appropriate adjustments – As an employer, you have a legal duty to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of your workplace risks to the health and safety of your employees. This includes making adjustments for women who are experiencing menopausal symptoms. You should consider the specific needs of menopausal women and ensure that the working environment will not worsen their symptoms. Simple changes to an employee’s role or working environment can help ensure that the menopause does not become a barrier to their performance. You can find guidance on carrying out risk assessments here.  
• Introducing a menopause at work policy – It is considered good practice to introduce a menopause policy to help raise awareness of the menopause and its impact in the workplace. As well as signposting relevant advice and assistance to anyone who needs it, it also helps to facilitate open conversations between managers and staff and demonstrate the commitment to supporting staff who are affected by the menopause. 

Act now to benefit later

Proactively managing the effects of menopause on your business and your employees can help reduce employee relations issues. Short-term investment can prevent long-term issues. When making any major changes or introducing new policies that affect your workforce, it’s always advised to seek legal support in order to protect your business interests.  

If you have any questions or concerns about the effect of the menopause on your business or your employees and/or you would like assistance in drafting a menopause at work policy, you can get impartial and professional advice from one of our employment law solicitors.  

You can find further employment law advice on the Knowledge Hub section of our website.

Additional information, training, toolkits and details about how your organisation can become Menopause Friendly Certified can be found on the Menopause Friendly Accreditation website.

* Source: Hoomph HR consultants