World Menopause Day is an annual event observed on 18^th October to raise awareness of menopause and to promote better understanding.

It is also an opportunity for employers to educate themselves about menopause and its potential impact on their workforce. Employers aware of menopause-related issues are able to create a supportive and inclusive workplace for employees experiencing menopause, ultimately leading to a happier, healthier and more productive workforce.

Helpful considerations for employers:

Education and awareness

Employers should raise awareness among all staff, develop a policy and provide training to all managers, supervisors and team leaders to educate them on understanding what menopause is, its symptoms and potential impact on work and how to handle menopause in the workplace.

Open and inclusive culture

Foster a culture that encourages open and non-judgemental conversations about menopause. An employee is more likely to approach their manager about menopause-related needs and challenges if they know the conversation is going to be empathetic and supportive.

Carefully manage sickness absence or a dip in job performance

Absence from work should be handled sympathetically as the menopause is a long-term and fluctuating health change. Employers should be prepared to make changes to help employees continue to work and minimise, reduce or remove any dips in their job performance because of menopause symptoms.

If an employee is off sick, absences related to menopause should be distinguished from other absences. This is because there may be times when it could be unfair or discriminatory to measure menopause-related absence as part of their overall attendance record. There are risks of disability discrimination, sex discrimination, and potentially age discrimination if staff are mismanaged because of their menopause symptoms.

Health, safety and welfare at work

Managing the effects of the menopause includes making sure health and safety checks in place are regularly carried out and risks minimised, reduced or where possible removed.

Addressing menopause in the workplace not only supports employees but promotes a more inclusive diverse and productive work environment. Employers that take proactive steps to create an accommodating and understanding workplace going through the menopause can benefit from increased employee satisfaction, retention and overall well-being.

Should you wish to discuss menopause in the workplace in more detail, require in-house training for managers or assistance with drafting a menopause policy for your workplace, contact KBL’s Employment Law Team on 01204 527777 or enquiries@kbl.co.uk.