The UK is still creating a huge stigma around the menopause

World Menopause Day, observed annually on October 18, is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the challenges and health impacts of menopause. While menopause is a natural biological process that affects mostly women, the stigma and lack of understanding surrounding it continue to create barriers for many. People often face discrimination, particularly in the workplace, due to the symptoms and misunderstandings associated with menopause.

Menopause: a stigma that seems difficult to shift

In the UK, menopause is still a largely taboo subject, despite affecting around 13 million people.

People often experience a range of physical symptoms, including hot flashes, fatigue, severe anxiety, and cognitive dysfunction. These symptoms can significantly impact their daily lives, but the societal response is often dismissive.

Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed, fearing that revealing their symptoms will lead to being perceived as less capable at work.

This fear is not unfounded. A 2019 survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) revealed that three in five people experiencing menopausal symptoms said it negatively affected their work, and some even left their jobs due to the lack of support.

Discrimination in the workplace is a critical issue. Menopausal people have reported being overlooked for promotions or subjected to unfair scrutiny due to the effects of menopause, and many workplaces lack policies that adequately support menopausal employees.

UK employers lagging behind

While there is growing recognition of the need for change, the progress has been slow. Findings from the Robert Walters’ Benefits Guide, which surveyed over 3,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, show:

• Over four-fifths of UK professionals say their current employer offers sick leave – yet less than a tenth state that their employer offers any form of menopause leave.
• A further 66% don’t think their employer provides enough support for those experiencing perimenopause or menopause at work.
• If experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms, 37% of female professionals stated they’d ‘try to cope’ or ‘ignore it’.
• Almost a fifth would disguise it as a ‘general illness’.
• Over half (58%) of professionals are actively worried about the impact experiencing menopause may have on their work – due to the need to WFH, take time out or from reduced productivity due to symptoms.

Menopause workplace support ‘almost non-existent’

Lucy Bisset, director of Robert Walters, said:

Menopausal people represent a significant proportion of the UK workforce, yet our research highlights how workplace support for them is almost non-existent.

This leaves mostly women having to cope with a range of symptoms alone – ranging from hot flushes, low mood and migraines – so it’s no wonder many try to push them to the back of their mind.

Not only are professionals covering up their symptoms – but there is a mounting worry amongst those yet to experience menopause that when they do, it will negatively impact their work e.g. delaying or diminishing chances of progression.

Something that is a natural biological process for almost half of our workforce shouldn’t be having such negative repercussions at work. There have been numerous calls for better support for those going through menopause, however we are yet to see a real difference in this space.

Improving support doesn’t have to be complicated or even time-consuming. Employers can start with creating space for open discussion around menopause at work, helping to reduce any ‘taboo’ or discomfort around the topic.

As with implementing any workforce change, asking for feedback from those currently experiencing or who have experienced menopause about what support they’d value most in the workplace is a great first step – whether that be ramped up hybrid-working, flexi-work times or even time off for those with severe symptoms.

Featured image via the Canary