World Menopause Day
Misinformation and Management
The conversation around menopause may be getting louder but much of the talk is still stigmatised and misinformed. Whilst we can celebrate that voices are being heard, it is just as important as ever to educate about the health issue that is menopause.
Thursday 18th October 2023 (or World Menopause Day) is an opportunity to give another push towards inclusivity in the workplace by creating, publicising and updating your menopause resources, such as policies, risk assessments and general provision of information.
It’s important to eliminate misinformation in order to combat discrimination faced by menopausal people in the workplace. Workplace policy and practices can do this by better supporting those experiencing menopause.
How Can We Manage Misinformation?
Schools and academies can manage and eliminate misinformation about menopause simply by promoting the correct information. But where do we find the correct information?
It’s important that schools use trusted and reliable sources to gather basic information about menopause. This may be from:
Simply, you should use your staff to inform your resources and documents. Start an open conversation in your workplace by asking staff questions, providing support and offering more information. Using this as a foundation, you’ll be able to build a representative, inclusive and watertight policy.
Handsam Menopause Policy
Using a policy template is a great start to creating your school’s menopause policy. However, it’s important that this is tailored specifically to your school. Every school is different and your policy may differ depending on factors like staff numbers, your premises, staff needs, location, flexible working policy etc.
You can cater to individual circumstances by being open and honest with staff. Create conversations about menopause and individual needs, and this will help to inform your policy.
Our Example Workplace Menopause Policy is written as a guide for workplace representatives. However, specifics should still be agreed through proper consultation with recognised trade unions and stakeholders, and modified to suit individual workplaces and employees.
Throughout, it recognises that menopause is an equality and occupational health issue and aims to create appropriate flexibility, support and reasonable adjustments for people experiencing menopausal symptoms, or are in the before or after stages of menopause.
Our template menopause policy addresses:
- Workplace aims
- Definitions, such as perimenopause, post menopause and surgical menopause
- Symptoms and effects
- Conducting individual risk assessments and forming reasonable adjustments
- The school’s roles and responsibilities
- Menopause and the law e.g. the Equality Act 2010
This policy is now available for Handsam subscribers who opt in to policies. If you would like to download the policy, please contact the Handsam Client Support Team at info@handsam.co.uk.
If you would like to access our template policy but do not subscribe to our policy service, please contact our Client Support Team at info@handsam.co.uk or phone 03332 070737 to upgrade your subscription.
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.
The Impact of Menopause
According to research by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD), three out of five (59%) working women between the ages of 45 and 55 who experience menopausal 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.
As such, almost 900,000 women in the UK left their jobs over an undefined period of time because of menopausal symptoms. This could mean that women are leaving businesses “at the peak of their experience” which will “impact productivity”. It is likely that women of this age qualify for senior management roles and so their departure from work will lessen levels of diversity in executive positions and play a part in the gender pay gap.
It is important that they are supported through this stage so that they can stay on at work and have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The Equality Act
Equality is about ensuring individuals or groups of individuals are treated fairly and equally and no less favourably, specific to their needs. The Equality Act 2010 prohibits all employers, service providers and providers of education from discriminating against, harassing and/or victimising individuals with protected characteristics.
Under this act, menopause discrimination generally comes under three protected characteristics: age, sex and disability discrimination.
Several calls have been made for further legislation requiring employers to put in place a workplace menopause policy to protect women going through menopause against discrimination whilst at work. Although it is illegal to discriminate against anyone based on any of the protected characteristics, there is still no requirement by law for employers to implement a workplace menopause policy.
Resources
Handsam Quick Guide ST31 Management of Menopause
Handsam Example Workplace Menopause Policy
International Menopause Society
Indeed: How employers can support employees going through menopause
Want more?
Here are some recent articles about menopause:
UK’s First Menopause Education Programme
How Menopause Affects Women of Colour
Suffolk women 'enthused' by free menopause support
Labour says it will urge UK firms to publish menopause action plan