Supporting employees experiencing the menopause

In the UK it is estimated that around 1 in 3 women are either currently going through or have reached the menopause. The menopause affects all women, and it can also often indirectly affect their partners, families and colleagues. Furthermore, research suggests that, for 30% of women, the recent global pandemic has made the physiological and mental symptoms of menopause worse (Source: Survey by The Menopause Hub, April 2020).

The Council aims to support all employees directly or indirectly affected by the menopause. We are seeking to increase awareness and help colleagues and line managers understand how they can support employees experiencing the menopause.

Menopause policy and guidance

The Council has developed a policy to raise awareness of the menopause, and to encourage open conversations between managers and employees to seek to provide the right support to manage menopausal symptoms at work:

Menopause Policy (MS Word, 117KB)

Training for all staff

We aim to support all colleagues affected by the menopause – whether that’s directly or indirectly and we have developed a short e-learning module on Learning Lounge, which covers:

• What is the menopause
• Things you can do
• Menopause in the workplace

The course ends with sharing some final thoughts and encouraging facts about menopause – it’s not all doom and gloom and there are some positives!

 

What is the menopause? 

The menopause is when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally. Periods usually start to become less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether, but sometimes they can stop suddenly. The menopause is experienced by most women, usually between the ages of 45 and 55, although some women can experience symptoms earlier due to ‘premature menopause’ or surgery. Women experience the menopause in widely varying ways; some breeze through problem-free, however most women experience symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

Symptoms 

The symptoms vary greatly, and commonly include (but aren’t limited to):

• Hot flushes
• Night sweats
• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Depression
• Headaches
• Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Joint stiffness, aches and pains
• Reduced concentration
• Heavy periods

Support, information and advice

If you are struggling with symptoms of the menopause, please inform your line manager at an early stage. Early notification will help your manager to determine the most appropriate course of action to support your needs, for example workplace adjustments, flexible working arrangements etc. Alternatively, you may find it helpful to have an initial discussion with a colleague or another manager. Advice should also be sought from your GP and/or occupational health.

The Council also has a Women’s Staff Network that meets on a monthly basis via Teams. The group is a friendly and supportive social space for women to share their experiences and talk about what matters to them (including the menopause) both at work and home.

External sources of information and advice are also widely available, please see the following resources and websites:

• Everybody Health and Leisure - Menopause Cafes
• Women’s Health Concern Factsheet (PDF, 73KB) - useful information on the menopause
• Menopause Support - information and advice on the menopause, includes links to several free resources (factsheets, videos and podcasts)
• NHS - information about the symptoms and treatment, also includes a video of two women describing their experience of the menopause
• The Menopause Exchange - provides independent advice about the menopause, midlife and post-menopausal health;also includes access to a free newsletter.
• British Menopause Society (BMS) - menopause advice for healthcare professionals
• Daisy Network - provides information and support to women diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), also known as Premature Menopause