It may feel difficult to work out how best to respond to menopause and ensure staff are supported, but there are lots of things you can do to help employees and create an open and supportive culture. In this section we'll suggest some ideas, including:
To clearly outline organisational procedures that are in place to support and assist those going through the menopause, it may be useful to create an official policy.
A policy on the menopause may include:
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Organisations should remember that the menopause can be a sensitive topic for individuals to approach in general and that some people may be embarrassed or uncomfortable talking about it. Additionally, depending on the workforce, some women may struggle to communicate any difficulties that they are experiencing due to language barriers.
Although employees should be encouraged to talk to their managers if they feel they need to raise any issues, women in this situation may not wish to disclose this kind of personal information. To combat this, a point of contact should be clearly established within an organisation, such as a welfare officer who is fully trained in dealing with these matters and are fully approachable.
If an employee discloses that they are having difficulties as a result of the symptoms associated with the menopause, reasonable steps should be taken to assist and improve their daily working activities. It is important to remember that every employee’s needs should be addressed sensitively and that confidentiality should be maintained as much as possible.
Possible ways in which employees can be assisted are outlined below:
The Health and Safety at Work Act requires employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their workers. As such, risk assessments to any potential risks to menopausal women should be undertaken.
Poorly adapted workplace environments and practices can make the symptoms worse, which is why it is essential the company is able to fully respond to these particular requirements. In particular, issues that should always be taken into consideration include temperature ventilation, toilet facilities and access to cold water.
In response, employers should undertake regular risk assessments that can identify areas that can be of detriment to the specific needs of individuals going through the menopause. This can include the following:
In situations where the symptoms are severe, it may be necessary for individuals to take time away from work. It is important that employers remain flexible enough to support their workers in these situations and to ensure support is provided where necessary. Holding a return to work meeting will be valuable to assess any support required. It may be necessary to obtain a GP report or an occupational health report to get medical opinion on any adjustments to be made.
Managers should be able to respond well to anyone needing support while going through the peri-menopause, acting respectfully and responsively to individual experience and needs.
Organisations should therefore ensure that all line managers and HR representatives understand the organisation’s policy on responding to the menopause and are fully able to respond to it in a non-discriminatory and open manner. Essentially, workers should feel comfortable and secure approaching this topic with their managers.
Potential ways to raise further awareness about the menopause include the following:
Potential third-party organisations to refer to include the following:
Respond to bullying & harassment
Organisations should operate a zero-tolerance policy and approach towards bullying and harassment, helping to reduce workplace incidents as staff become aware this behaviour will be taken seriously. Evidence suggests that being subject to bullying and harassment can make the symptoms of the menopause much more severe and lead to further examples of stress and depression.
As such, all complaints of bullying or harassment should be investigated in a timely manner. Keeping the employee informed of the actions that are being taken will help to address their concerns and ensure them that their complaint has been taken seriously. This will also help in the implementation of a zero-tolerance policy.