World Menopause Day 2022
World Menopause Day is held every year on 18th October
World Menopause Day is held on 18th October 2022. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of menopause and spread the word about the support available to improve health and wellbeing.
In light of this global awareness day, Handsam has created the Quick Guide document ST31 Management of Menopause. This document outlines:
- What menopause is and who may experience it;
- Menopausal symptoms and definitions;
- What employers can do in terms of managing people experiencing menopause;
- Examples of reasonable adjustments that can be made;
- What an individual risk assessment for someone who is menopausal could look like;
- How menopause relates to the law;
- Your roles and responsibilities as an employer; and
- A range of resources and additional support.
This document is now available in the Quick Guide Library.
Cognition and Mood
This year's theme for World Menopause Day is 'Cognition and Mood'. One of the symptoms of menopause is memory loss, forgetfulness, brain fog and concentration issues due to hormonal changes. Many people struggle with this.
These symptoms can make it especially hard to function at work, and it may even be hard to concentrate in home life too. However, there are many ways to support brain health and brain function, such as:
- A healthy diet - there are links between the things we eat and our hormone balance. The brain should get plenty of nutrients such as polyunsaturated fatty acids found in eggs, fish, nuts and seeds. Antioxidants are also very important, such as spinach, carrots and potatoes;
- Exercise - regular exercise has a positive impact on brain health. Keep active by doing an activity you enjoy as it’s a great way of relieving stress and increasing relaxation. This could be as simple as going out for a walk every day;
- Sleep - a regular sleep pattern is great for the brain. Try improving sleeping habits by limiting screen time before bed, keeping your bedroom cool, comfortable and dark, and even using pillow sprays or aromatherapy; and
- Looking into medication like HRT - hormone replacement therapy is proven to drastically improve the quality of sleep and symptoms of menopause.
To support menopausal people experiencing memory loss and concentration issues, employers can:
- Conduct an individual risk assessment;
- Implement findings, for example by introducing reasonable adjustments like regular breaks or flexible working;
- Signpost to resources and an occupational health scheme;
- Minimise amounts of unnecessary work;
- Ensure there is a line of clear and regular communication;
- Raise awareness about menopause in the workplace; and
- Regularly publicise resources such as a workplace menopause policy.
For more detail on what employers can do to support those experiencing menopausal symptoms, download the Quick Guide document ST31 Management of Menopause here.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is a normal stage of life that usually occurs around the age of 50 whereby menstrual periods stop and the production of oestrogen decreases. An estimated 13 million people are living with menopause in the UK, including women, trans people and intersex people. People from these communities may have experiences that differ due to a variety of factors.
According to research by CIPD, three out of five (59%) working women between the ages of 45 and 55 who are experiencing menopause symptoms say it has a negative impact on them at work. The effects of menopause can lead to staff feeling ill, losing confidence to do their job or feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. It is important that staff experiencing symptoms are supported through this stage.
Handsam Resources
Example Workplace Menopause Policy
Compliance Matters Issue 33: New Workplace Menopause Policy
Compliance Matters Issue 32: International Women's Day