Menopause at work – why line managers are key to a supportive culture

Menopause workshop

Menopause has always been around, but menopausal women are now the fastest-growing working demographic in the UK. This means that now, more than ever, it’s essential to understand how to support people going through menopause. So, we’ve put together this handy guide to help you.  

We could start this blog by quoting lots of statistics and surveys, but whilst we like a number here at Laughology (our favourites are 11 and 22), we also like really practical things that help people work well, live well and be happy.  

So, this blog is about what you can do when it comes to menopause and managing work and why line managers play an important role in supporting people going through it.

Don’t be embarrassed; talk about menopause

You may be embarrassed to broach the subject of menopause with your manager. But you don’t need to get personal. It’s not about mentioning vaginas or unwanted hairs. However, sharing that your symptoms are worsening and thus impacting your work is enough to get the conversation going.   

This may feel particularly challenging if your manager is young, male, or both. However, the conversation may be as difficult for them, so working together can be helpful. Here are some tips to consider:

• Be prepared – keep a diary of your symptoms and how they affect you physically and psychologically.
• Book a meeting – let your manager know you would like to discuss a personal matter and mention it’s about menopause up front so they have time to prepare. That way, your meeting should be given the time and discretion it deserves. If you’d like someone to accompany you, you can ask for this.
• State your situation clearly – underline the importance of having your manager’s understanding and support. Don't be afraid to give some examples of how your symptoms have affected you and/or prevented you from doing your best work.
• Offer some solutions – your manager should work with you to provide effective support, but it's always a good idea to bring some solutions to the table, too. For example, if you're suffering from sleepless nights and find committing to specific hours difficult.  Maybe come to an agreement around extended flexibility. 
• Follow up – your manager may need to go away and seek further advice on what you've told them. But it's still a good idea to book a follow-up session before your first meeting ends to agree on the next steps and let your manager know how you're progressing.

If you feel unable to talk to your manager, talking to another trusted person in your team or a different manager or leader can also be helpful. Most HR teams or people in this position will be willing to help and support. It’s okay to choose someone you feel comfortable talking to or ask them to be with you when talking to your manager.

Can you take time off for menopause?

You can request reasonable adjustments be made to how you work to help you manage your menopausal symptoms, such as flexible working, requesting a different uniform if you’re experiencing hot flushes, moving to a cooler part of the office, or asking for a fan.  

Being sensitive to others around you is  important too. For example, talk to others who might sit by a window and explain the situation so they understand why you have it open when it’s -15 outside.  

Don’t suffer in silence 

Too often, women suffer through menopause in silence, but it's important to know you're not alone. While each person's experience will be slightly different, chances are your friends and colleagues are also encountering similar challenges.

If no one talks about it, you might be doing them a favour by starting the conversation. Not only can this be a great source of emotional support, but it's also an excellent way to share tips and advice. Alternatively, you could find out whether there's a Menopause Café near you. 

How can managers and organisations provide support?

The fact is women over the age of 50 represent the fastest-growing segment of the workforce. And yet one in four menopausal women doesn't get support at work. It’s essential to recognise that, in some cases, trans people go through menopause too and can experience symptoms. So being open and inclusive to everyone and empathetic to all situations is important.

It’s not just the person going through menopause either. Partners, brothers, sons, and husbands also need to talk, as this impacts everyone.  So if you’re a manager, make sure you provide support for everyone. 

When organisations fail to listen, it can result in a toxic combination of sexism and ageism, which can put employers at risk of legal action. For example, the 2010 Equality Act (U.K.) protects workers if they are treated unfairly at work because of menopause and perimenopause.

What do working menopausal people want? 

Kings College London conducted a qualitative investigation into working women and menopause. The paper, What do working menopausal women want? A qualitative investigation into women’s perspectives on employer and line manager support explores women’s views on what employers and managers should and should not do concerning women going through menopause.   

We have put together the top four points from this paper to share with you:

1. Help people understand the nature of symptoms and the potential impact of the work environment 

Everyone experiences menopause differently. Symptoms can be physical, such as hot flushes, headaches, poor sleep, and erratic periods. Or they can be psychological, such as anxiety, low mood, lack of confidence and poor concentration. 

We’ve found that most people are surprised at the range of symptoms. The FOM (faculty of occupational Medicine) says almost half of women don’t seek medical advice, and the majority of women don’t feel comfortable talking about menopause with their line managers. We’ve found this to be true at our awareness sessions too. Therefore educating managers and teams is a must.

2. Provide support, if needed and personalise this; one size doesn’t fit all. 

Begin with creating the right environment where everyone feels they can openly talk about menopause if they want to. Ensure support is as far-reaching as possible. Talk to people to find out what they would like in terms of support and engage everyone in group discussions. 

Get in both medical and training experts who can start the conversations. Our Menopause awareness workshops are fun and informative. We talk about the impact on everyone and make it about everyone.  The fun element helps talk about some of the more taboo topics whilst also being sensitive to some of the more challenging symptoms menopause brings. 

Support will vary from person to person but listening to what they need and reaching a mutual agreement is important.  Continuous check-ins are also something to encourage; it’s not enough o have just one chat. Having a menopause or well-being champion at work could help people affected by menopause. The champion could be a point of contact if people need advice or someone to initially talk to if they’re uncomfortable talking to their managers.

3. Communication skills are essential - managers should show respect, listen and take concerns seriously.

Empathy is crucial for effective communication, with women from the research citing consideration and concern as something they’d expect from managers. They asked for managers to show respect, listen and take concerns seriously. Conversations should be kept strictly private. It’s very important that employers do not draw any attention to a woman’s menopause or symptoms.

Several ‘unhelpful’ things were raised in this area, including:

• Forcing women to have conversations they are uncomfortable with
• Patronising, belittling, or implying a woman is less good at her job due to menopause
• Flippant, jokey behaviour
• Using terminology such as ‘ladies’ problems’  (this is also discriminatory as it excludes trans people)
• Harassing, penalising, or criticising women going through menopause
• Avoiding conversations due to a manager’s personal discomfort

4. Introduce a Menopause Policy and Training

A clear policy or guidance document will help employees, managers, and leaders understand how to support women experiencing menopause at work and avoid any potential legal issues.

Including a section on menopause in your organisation's existing well-being or sickness policies is an excellent start. You may also consider introducing formal management training covering the subject. This helps to improve understanding and confidence around what menopause means so managers know what signs to look out for, how it may impact someone they manage, and what they can do to provide support.

Okay, we didn’t start on stats and facts, but if you’re still not convinced that talking about menopause is a must, then read on.

• Menopausal women are the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce.

• The average age for a woman to go through menopause is 51. However, it can be earlier than this, naturally or due to surgery or illness. And symptoms may start years before menopause, during the perimenopause phase.

• According to the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM), nearly 8 out of 10 menopausal women are at work.

• 3 out of 4 women experience symptoms, and 1 in 4 could experience serious symptoms.

• 1 in 3 of the workforce will soon be over 50, and retirement ages are now 68.

• There have already been successful employment tribunals against employers.

Get in touch with the Laughology team to understand more about how we can help your workplace and teams become menopause-friendly, - and let’s shout loudly about it.