Menopause discrimination is a real thing and bosses need to get involved
Try mentioning the word “menopause” at work and it is likely to stun people into silence or cause an embarrassing giggle at a hormonal woman’s expense. The most many employers offer to their menopausal women in the workplace are fans – but is this enough?
Menopause is a normal life event for women and so it is not an illness or a medical condition. This often means that the symptoms of the menopause are too often under recognised, undervalued and not taken seriously. The psychological symptoms associated with the menopause such as loss of self-confidence, low self-esteem, anxiety and depressive symptoms are the ones that often affect women the most.
It was not until I experienced menopausal symptoms myself that I appreciated the full extent of how symptoms can have a detrimental impact on ability to work. I found I was struggling to remember patients’ names, I was constantly rechecking prescriptions to ensure I had not made any mistakes and I felt permanently tired and was often irritable with some of my colleagues.
Memory loss, brain fog, verbal slips, memory problems and other cognitive effects of the perimenopause and menopause have caused many successful and high-powered business women to give up work either because they simply couldn’t cope any more or believed themselves to be “losing their mind”.
Copy of At a glance | The four types of menopause
I am constantly staggered and surprised how little women (and maybe more importantly men!) know about symptoms of the menopause and health risks of the menopause (including increased risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis). More than three quarters of women have said that prior to reading a list of symptoms they did associate those they were/are suffering from as being associated to the menopause.
Around 3.5 million women aged over 50 years are currently in employment in the UK. Studies have shown that at least of 50% of women have reported as finding work somewhat or fairly difficult due to their symptoms of menopause. Around 10% of women have actually given up work all together as a result of their symptoms.
A recent survey undertaken by West Midlands Police has found that over 80% of women admitted to their symptoms having affected them at work. I see numerous women in my clinic who tell me they have reduced their hours, changed their roles at work or even given up work all together as they have been making mistakes, struggling with learning new tasks and generally feeling too shattered.
Research has shown that the more frequently women reported experiencing menopause-related symptoms and the more bothersome the symptoms were, the less engaged they felt at work, less satisfied with their job, the greater their intention to quit their job and the lower their commitment to their employment.
Studies have shown that menopause symptoms can have a significant impact on attendance and performance in the workplace, with some women being misdiagnosed as suffering from mental ill-health or other conditions, and the impact on their work can be wrongly identified as a performance issue.
It is very likely that early diagnosis, education and adjustments can act as a preventative measure for menopause related sickness. When menopause is managed correctly not only can it reduce absenteeism (for example reasonable adjustments being put in place), it enables women to talk about their concerns with their work colleagues and managers. There should be measures in place to provide some support in what is considered a significant physical change, in line with puberty or pregnancy.
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Employers have responsibilities for the health and safety of all their employees, but there are also clear business reasons for proactively managing an age-diverse workforce. Some employers have been slow to recognise that women of menopausal age may need specific considerations and many employers do not yet have clear processes to support women coping with menopausal symptoms. Recommendations from research in this area are for employers to best support menopausal women as part of a holistic approach to employee health and well-being include risk assessments to make suitable adjustments to the physical and psycho-social work environment, provision of information and support, and training for line managers.
Whilst menopause obviously directly affects women, consideration should also be given to the fact that partners and family members can be significantly affected, and their working ability also potentially impacted.
There is clear guidance from the Faculty of Occupational Medicine for women whose menopausal symptoms are affecting them at work. The recommendations include encouraging discussions to take place with managers about practical needs, speaking with the occupational health service and also talking with other colleagues. Advice regarding healthy lifestyle and wellbeing is also mentioned which are clearly very important when considering the management of the menopause.
The guidance also recommend that women seek advice regarding available treatment from their GPs. Many women are still suffering in silence and do not realise how effective hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be at dramatically improving both their symptoms and also their quality of life with an effect of being able to help them function better at work. For women starting HRT under the age of 60, the benefits of HRT usually outweigh any risks.
The menopause is no laughing matter for many women and employers need to help women by providing the right advice and support.
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