Menopause has long been regarded as a taboo subject – both at home, in society and in the workplace. Campaigners have fought hard to make the topic mainstream, with high-profile advocates, such as Davina McCall, leading the charge to make women’s voices heard.
Slowly, but surely, the issue has made its way onto the boardroom agenda, into conversations in national and social media and, importantly, into statute. Such is the strength of opinion, that menopause is now regarded by many as the opener for more meaningful discussions about female health more generally.
In fact, I’ve had personal experience of providing menopause training to a large manufacturing employer which directly led to open and honest conversations between managers and their staff about what previously would have been an overlooked topic.
As we mark Menopause Awareness Month, with World Menopause Day (18 October) falling right in the middle, it seems like the perfect opportunity to ask the question – is the tide finally turning on the topic and how can employers play their part?
Mainstream menopause
The simple answer is: yes. Menopause has worked its way into the conversations of families, friends, colleagues, employers and policymakers. It has earned its place at the table, but it has not come without a fight.
For the first time, menopause has been written into legislation. This means that women no longer have to rely on businesses that naturally embrace employee wellbeing – from 2027, all employers with more than 250 staff will have to draw up official ‘menopause action plans’ that set out how they are going to support female workers who are suffering from menopause symptoms.
It’s all wrapped up in the Employment Rights Bill, marking a significant shift in how the issue is managed and dealt with in the workplace. This is not just a ‘nice to have’, this is a legal imperative. From next April, large employers can voluntarily publish a menopause action place.
That will become mandatory in 2027, with companies required to set out how they are supporting women through the menopause, whether that’s through policy or guidance documents, signposting to wellbeing and occupational health support, training – not just for HR, but for all managers, leaders and employees – as well as the introduction of more practical changes in the working environment. This is not just a tick-box exercise, this is a complete shift in how women are treated in the workplace.
Campaigners have fought for many years for this moment. The numbers also stack up. Figures show that one in ten women are currently forced out of work due to menopause symptoms, such as brain fog, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and night sweats.
A government review found that this costs the economy around £1.5 billion a year, with a further £191 million lost to sick days and £22 million through ‘presenteeism’ – when people feel forced to turn up to work even while suffering from symptoms. Ministers predict that boosting female employment could add £125 million a year to the UK economy. The numbers are compelling.
As the Women and Equalities Unit has said, the move will “ensure that every organisation benefits from harnessing the talent, creativity and brilliance of women in their workforce.”
Employing the right approach
The Employment Rights Bill is highly regarded as a landmark piece of legislation – one that will have a significant impact across many aspects of the workplace.
Although formal guidance on the menopause action plans has yet to be issued, and a legal duty is still more than 12 months away, large employers are being encouraged to put it in place measures sooner rather than later to ensure that changes are deeply embedded – not only in processes and procedures, but in the culture of a business.
So what can companies do now to fast-track that support and make menopause of common theme in HR and employment law practices?
- Policies and procedures – Make sure you carry out an initial assessment of current relevant policies and procedures, so they are fit for purpose well in advanced of changes coming into force.
- A menopause policy – It’s essential to really dig into the detail. While certain policies may cover menopause-related issues, having a specific menopause policy which is tailored to each individual business and their needs will provide more clarity and transparency for everyone involved.
- Guidance – For some businesses, this could result in a significant rethink in terms of how menopause is approached. As such, it’s important to have detailed guidance in place for managers and leaders, to ensure they are delivering on legal expectations.
- Training – The same can be said for the wider workforce. Delivering staff training alongside a policy launch will make this inclusive, visible and meaningful to everyone, not just to those affected by menopause.
- Working environment – Is your workplace fit for purpose? Does it provide the right working environment for women managing menopause symptoms? Carrying out a review of your working environment will allow you to implement changes, whether that’s creating dedicated breakout areas, peer support groups, or regular sessions that allow open and honest conversations.
- Accreditation – You can go one step further by going for the Menopause Friendly Accreditation offered by Menopause Friendly UK. This will demonstrate to both your internal and external audiences that you have carefully considered and implemented changes that address culture, policies and practices, training, engagement and the working environment.
- Open communication – Be open with staff. Communicate clearly with them and ensure they are fully engaged in creating an inclusive and supportive working environment, that proactively addresses menopause to help increase productivity, lower absence levels, reduce recruitment costs and attract experienced talent.
Making menopause mainstream is a significant step forward and one that employers must embrace. The Employment Rights Bill places the onus firmly on employers to create a culture where staff feel they can request, and will get, support with any menopause related issues they are facing.
Previously, failure to deal with such requests appropriately or at all resulted in businesses losing valuable employees and potentially facing tribunal claims for sex, age or disability discrimination. Now, employers will soon face obligations to deal with these matters in a proactive rather than reactive manner.
One hopes that this will lead to this being dealt with sensitively and effectively simply as a matter of routine. So, whilst there may still be a long way to go, with any luck the tide is finally starting to turn.
Stephen Mutch is an employment lawyer at Pannone Corporate. He provides employment advice to his clients across a wide range of sectors, which includes the provision of effective day-to-day HR advice.
