Mariella Frostrup has said she is “honoured and delighted” to have been appointed menopause tsar. The campaigner and journalist is taking over as the Government’s menopause employment ambassador, championing women’s rights in the workplace.
The broadcaster said she would tackle a “gender-specific inequity” which can see women suffer in the workplace – or even have to leave work.
Focusing on work while battling menopause symptoms, which include hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog and anxiety, can be incredibly hard, but an increasing number of us are doing so, with women over 50 making up the fastest-growing sector in the workplace. There are almost four million women aged 45-55 employed in the UK, the age that menopause usually occurs, and the perimenopause – when menopause symptoms kick in – can begin months or even years beforehand.
The impact of menopause on working women is hard to ignore. Of 2,000 working women aged between 40-60 surveyed by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), two-thirds have been negatively affected at work by menopause symptoms and over half (53%) have been unable to go into work on at least one occasion due to the menopause, while BUPA found that nearly a million women have given up their jobs entirely due to their symptoms.
Norma Goldman, founder of The Menopause Exchange, says that many women still hide the real reason if menopause is impacting their working life. "Some women won’t mention the menopause when giving a reason for their absence, unlike if they suffered from, for example, asthma or arthritis," she says.
In July 2022, a report into menopause and the workplace was published by the Women and Equalities Committee. "Whilst we accept that menopause is an inevitable and natural part of growing older, women feeling compelled to give up work at the peak of their careers is neither inevitable nor normal," it concluded.
The committee had several suggestions on how to improve the situation, including introducing workplace menopause policies and making menopause a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, alongside age, sex and disability. So what, if anything, has changed since then?
What progress has been made around menopause in the workplace?
Quite a lot, says Claire McCartney, senior policy adviser at the CIPD. "A few years ago there was very little recognition that there needed to be support for those experiencing perimenopause or menopause in the workplace and we’ve come a really long way since then. In 2019, fewer than one in 10 organisations had any menopause support in place, but by 2023, 46% say their wellbeing policies include provision for menopause."
Menopause accreditation
More than 100 companies, including First Direct, L&G and Specsavers have signed up to ‘Menopause Friendly’ accreditation, showing that they are creating a supportive environment around the menopause. Last year, the British Standards Institute (BSI) launched new standards for menopause and menstruation support at work, including provision for flexible working for more severe symptoms and practical measures such as comfortable seating and fans at desks.
Rachel Murray, Head of Employee Health and Wellbeing at BUPA, says companies should take the lead on letting their people know they’re supported. "This might include training to make sure all managers are up to speed on the menopause, as well as advice on how to start a conversation about the menopause," she says.
"While there's no legal requirement for companies to have a menopause policy, employers do have a duty of care for their employees’ health and wellbeing, as well as not discriminating on the grounds of age, sex or disability, so it's worth asking your employer what support they offer. It’s also useful to think what adjustments might be useful to you, and having a conversation with your line manager if you feel comfortable doing so."
The Equality and Human Rights Commission recently warned that employers could be sued under disability discrimination if they fail to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for women going through menopause.
Support for staff
The CIPD has some useful advice of how employers can be more supportive of menopause in the workplace, such as:
- Open up the culture by encouraging conversations about the menopause
- Make sure absence policies are fair and flexible around menopause
- Offer education and training for line managers so they can have useful conversations with their employees about specific requirements
There are many ways in which an office can be made more menopause-friendly, says Claire McCartney from the CIPD, including:
- Planned flexible working
- Ability to control local temperature
- Breathable uniforms
- Last-minute or unplanned late starts after sleep disturbance
- More breaks when needed
- Occupational health support
At a glance: menopause in the workplace
- 73% of employees aged 40-60 have experienced menopause symptoms
- The most common symptoms reported are psychological such as mood disturbances, anxiety, depression, memory loss, panic attacks, loss of confidence and reduced concentration.
- 53% of women were unable to go into work due to menopause symptoms
- More than a quarter say the menopause has had a negative impact on their career progression
