How to create (and sustain) a menopause-friendly workplace

With Channel 4 comedy series The Change and documentaries from the likes of Davina McCall, discussion of menopause has hit primetime in recent years. Even so, it’s not always a conversation that feels easy to carry over to the workplace. A recent CMI webinar saw experts offer tips on how to change that, and explored why having that conversation can benefit both managers and employees.

Watch: Creating and sustaining menopause-friendly workplaces 

“We are living in a different time”

Defined as the point at which a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period, menopause generally happens between the ages of 45 and 55. The time leading up to it – known as perimenopause – can involve a range of sometimes troublesome physical and psychological symptoms.

Deborah Garlick, chief executive of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, says some wonder why this should be a workplace issue. 

“Of course, as long as there have been women on this earth there has been the menopause, but the reality is we are living in a different time now,” she said. “Women are working for longer, living for longer, and more and more of us have senior positions and bigger responsibilities.”

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In short, a greater proportion of the workforce than ever before will experience menopause. And for some, it will be tricky enough that it will affect their employment. In a major 2021 study, women who had at least one troublesome symptom were 23% more likely to have reduced their working hours by the time they hit 55 and 43% more likely to have left work altogether.

So how can managers avoid such outcomes and stand the best chance of retaining expertise, experience and productivity?

“Appreciating the uniqueness of your organisation is absolutely key [to becoming a menopause-friendly organisation],” Deborah said. “Manufacturing versus retail versus offices will be very different.”

Menopause symptoms vary between individuals, but some of the most common issues are:

• hot flushes, which can make workplace temperatures feel oppressive 
• altered focus and concentration, which is problematic with work that requires attention to detail or quick decisions
• greater noise and smell sensitivity, which can be difficult in certain work environments
• joint and muscle pain, particularly challenging in any role that requires heavy lifting.

The erratic and often heavy periods that happen in perimenopause are also difficult, “especially if you’re in an environment where you can't just nip off to the loo every five minutes to make sure that you haven't bled through your knickers and your outfit”, said Jo Brewis, Professor of People and Organisations at The Open University Business School.

What organisations can do to help

While all organisations are unique, “the good news is that there are some key areas of focus that can make a huge difference”, said Deborah.

One is ensuring there is a policy or guidance document relating to menopause. This should be easy to find for anyone struggling with symptoms and should make clear what the organisation can do to help, and how employees can access that support. This can also help guide conversations between managers and employees on menopause.