How can we support menopause at work?

One of the best things you can do to support employees is to create an open, supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to talk about menopause and other life challenges without blame or judgment. Having a supportive culture not only supports menopause, but also enables those with other health conditions or life challenges to reach out and get the support they need to stay in work. It also frees up our mental energy for more complex work-based tasks as we are not constantly hiding symptoms or worrying about having an embarrassing hot flush in front of a colleague!

Creating supportive environments can be challenging, especially if there is an established culture. Sometimes starting with a specific menopause policy gives staff something tangible to refer to, or it may be that having a senior female manager talk openly about their experiences helps to start those important conversations, or perhaps it’s providing training around menopause awareness that is the catalyst. It will depend on the size, needs and current culture of your organisation.

Typical workplace menopause support often includes:

• Cultivating that supportive no-blame culture
• Enabling employees to work flexibly (within current policies) to manage symptoms effectively
• Having a specific menopause policy which utilises current policies
• Providing menopause awareness training to all employees, regardless of age, gender and level in the organisation
• Providing training on having sensitive conversations
• Providing a space where menopause can be discussed openly, where members can get support from each other
• Including menopause as a possible reason for sickness absence in sickness reporting systems
• Including menopause as a long-term condition in sickness absence policies (if there are specific trigger points for absence)
• Signposting to/including comprehensive menopause support in your employee benefits programme (if you have one)
• Offering those going through menopause reasonable adjustments, for example:
• Providing fans and or having temperature-controlled rooms
• Providing comfortable toilet facilities with space to change/clean up as necessary
• Providing access to cold drinking water
• Providing appropriate uniforms (if worn) – light, layered, non-synthetic or sweat-wicking fabrics are best
• Providing enough uniform for changes in the working day if necessary (if worn)

Deciding on exactly which measures will depend on the size of your organisation, the type of work involved and the needs of your employees. Sometimes the best place to start is to ask them what would benefit them most or what support they need to manage their symptoms and thrive at work. Remember that whatever measures you do bring in will not only benefit those going through menopause, but many other employees as well. Having measures available to all helps to create a supportive workplace culture for everyone, so that we can all focus on thriving at work.