SecondEfforts by some workplaces to support women in menopause have been described as lacking, from gift bags filled with tissues and paper clips to simply ignoring the issue and letting staff muddle through – or leave.
But that may be about to change, with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) warning that employers could be sued for disability discrimination if they fail to make “reasonable adjustments” for women going through menopause.
Guardian readers share their views on what working women need to support them through menopause, and for many the most important change that can be made is in workplace culture.
“It’s more of a change of attitude than something silly happening,” Lucy* said. “I blame that on women as well as men.”
Lucy, 57, who works in public relations, said she experienced severe hot flashes that caused vomiting and dizziness. She started hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but it took a while to get the dose right, which left her in tears, crying in a meeting for the first time in her more than 30-year career.
“My boss later reprimanded me for being emotional. There was no sympathy, only criticism. I was mortified,” she said.
Many readers have suggested that some employers view menopause as a disease or a joke.
“It’s not funny when you’re in a meeting and have to hold on to the table so you don’t pass out,” Lucy said. “It’s not funny when you’re having dinner with friends and you know you’re sweating on your face, on your back, on your legs. It’s not funny when you haven’t slept in ten years.”
In addition to educating employers and employees about what menopause is and the age at which perimenopause can begin, readers suggested other helpful measures.
Many stress the importance of flexible working, allowing employees to delay coming to work or work from home.
Catherine, a 56-year-old education researcher from Slough, believes the change has been helpful. “In my last job, work put pressure on people to stay in the office, and waking up at 6am meant I had to wake up at 2am and stay awake until work. I didn’t realize at the time that I had It’s menopause,” she said.
After changing jobs, Catherine said her new employer was more supportive and allowed her to work from home most of the time, which she found a huge help – especially since she still had sleep problems, even though she was now postmenopausal.
“I still wake up at night, but aside from the odd day here and there, there’s no pressure to go to the office, so I sleep a little longer in the morning and life is much better. I don’t start too late, usually by nine point or 9.30, but a little more flexibility would really help,” she said.
However, for some, flexibility is difficult to achieve. Mary, 42, is a teacher in menopause. “The teaching profession is inherently inflexible due to low schedules, teaching expectations and low staffing levels, so in my opinion the teaching profession does not meet the needs of perimenopausal women like me,” she said.
Mary, who has been experiencing brain fog and panic attacks at work, said when symptoms arise, it can be helpful to be able to negotiate workloads or deadlines to make work more manageable. “I find that when I have foggy days, tasks take me longer,” she said.
One of the other accommodations suggested by several teachers was to have a colleague briefly lead the class if a hot flash struck – something Mary said was simple when she was pregnant with her second child and often needed to use the toilet.
“It would be nice to have the same sympathy that I had when I was pregnant,” she said.
Other measures that readers found helpful include menopause advocates to help mediate between employees and employers when difficulties arise, flexibility in workplace attire, the ability to turn on the air conditioning when needed and somewhere to go and take a nap.
Additionally, many women said it was important to improve access to information about menopause and its symptoms, including its impact on mental health, especially as many women said they were unaware they were going through menopause in the first place.
However, some women highlighted that they were concerned about employers making assumptions about their menopausal experiences, such as assuming they would have brain fog, or viewing menopause as a reason not to hire or promote mature women.
Others question whether specific measures are needed because many adjustments could bring benefits to a wide range of employees.
In fact, as Lucy points out, while her sleep was disrupted during menopause, so was her husband’s. “I really don’t want menopausal women to suddenly be allowed in because … people with babies are not allowed, or people with sick children are not allowed,” she said.
While some women welcome the idea of menopause as a protected characteristic, others are less convinced.
Jane, 49, a primary school teacher in Hampshire, is among those who have raised concerns about the impact of the EHRC guidance.
“I think what we need is more conversations in the workplace, led by more older women who are open and passionate about other women and their rights,” she said. “I think it has to come from that place, from people who want to make a change, rather than having it imposed on people.”
*Some names have been changed.
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