As organisations globally make significant strides to improve inclusivity in the workplace, many realise the need to implement menopause policies. This is a vital step that has been neglected for far too long. By ignoring the impact menopause has on mental and physical health, female employees have been left feeling isolated and ashamed. Businesses also lose out when highly qualified, capable professionals don’t get the necessary support they need to perform at their best.
A 2019 survey conducted by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK found that three in five menopausal women—usually aged between 45 and 55—were negatively affected at work. According to the health insurance company BUPA, almost 900,000 women in the UK have left their jobs because of menopausal symptoms. While 50% of women working in financial services experiencing the menopause are less likely to want to progress in their role, and 25% are more likely to retire early as a result, as revealed by Standard Chartered.
Even though having a menopause policy in place is not, as a matter of law, a mandatory requirement, employers are under a statutory duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work, including their physical and emotional well-being.
From a practical point of view, a lack of adequate support for sufferers can lead to:
- Poor employee engagement and low morale
- Reduced performance and lost productivity
- High rates of sickness-related or even unauthorised absenteeism
- Poor working relationships and conflict at work
- A damaged employer-employee relationship
- Loss of valuable members of staff who feel forced to resign
Thankfully, companies are stepping up and paying attention to the problem, but handling it correctly is important so that everyone understands the benefits and menopausal women feel supported rather than singled out. Having a menopause policy should be part of a holistic approach to health and well-being and incorporated into the culture of an organisation not simply viewed as a box- ticking exercise.
Start with the why
Menopause might be a hot topic but not everyone will know why menopause policies are needed. Sadly, there remains considerable ignorance and misunderstanding around menopause and its effects, with it often being treated as an embarrassing or taboo subject or even something to be ridiculed.
If staff don’t know why something is being done, it will be difficult to get their buy-in from the start. Before you introduce any new guidance, some type of training can beneficial so people know what kind of symptoms their co-workers might be experiencing and how they can help to accommodate them.
Addressing the subject openly will help people feel more confident and comfortable talking about it, breaking down the stigma. Often, it’s not that someone doesn’t want to be sympathetic, rather that they are scared to say the wrong thing or feel ill-equipped to discuss it.
Shaping an effective strategy
While there is no prescribed, standard format for a menopause policy, these are some best practices to maximise your efforts:
- Start with a Statement of Intent
- Outline the aim of the policy
- Assign roles and responsibilities
- Create an employee resource group
- Provide points of contact
- Make physical accommodations in the working environment e.g. fans, cool rooms, and access to cold drinks
- Hold education and awareness programs
- Create a women’s wellbeing community on the company intranet with information on the causes, symptoms, treatments and coping strategies
- Give HR a guide to menopause
- Consider flexible working hours or shift changes
- Allow flexibility within working hours to take a break
- Consider whether heavy, cumbersome uniforms might be contributing to symptoms like hot flushes, especially in a climate like the UAE
A commitment to care is key
Implementing a simple menopause policy is a great start. However, it’s important to remember that every woman’s menopause is different; some have mild symptoms others endure them for several years. Ask questions, listen carefully, and be prepared to tailor any support. An ideal starting point is to make a commitment and that could be something as simple as education. While this is a basic minimum for menopause support, if it is introduced and embedded well, it helps to normalise the conversation, giving women the support and understanding they deserve.
Once you start engaging in thoughtful dialogue, you can expect improved productivity, increased loyalty, reduced absence, and better retention. Above all, it is the best way to keep skilled professional women in the workforce, which should never have been at risk.
Sharon James, UAE Menopause Coach & Corporate Educator