Should Women be Signed Off Work Because of Menopause?

Menopause has been widely discussed in the media over the last few years, helping to break the taboo and encouraging us to open up about this natural phase of a woman’s life.

Celebrities like Davina McCall, Lorraine Kelly and Carol Vorderman have helped to raise awareness, sharing how frustrating and debilitating symptoms like anxiety, depression, migraines, brain fog, difficulty focusing, hot flushes and sleep problems turned their lives upside down.

Whilst this has made an enormous difference to women across the country, the discussion missed one key topic- how menopause affects women in the workplace.

With around 5.87 million working women at perimenopausal or menopausal age in the UK and approximately 18% of these considering quitting because of their symptoms, we could be facing an employment crisis if we don’t take steps to address this.

Many are struggling to cope due to difficult symptoms, reduced productivity, stress at work, a lack of support and a lack of understanding from management.

For employers struggling to do their best, manage absences and take care of their staff, getting signed off work by a doctor may seem like a good idea. However, this can often do more harm than good and end up affecting the productivity of your business, costing your organisation money and affecting the loyalty of your team.

There is a better way to support your female employees through menopause so they don’t just survive but thrive. Today, I’ll like to share my insight with you and explain what you can do today to become a menopause-friendly organisation.

Why is sick leave such a bad idea for menopausal women?

Expensive absences from work, reduced productivity and physical symptoms like hot flushes and brain fog mean that many menopausal women struggle at work to do their jobs to the best of their ability.

As one woman shared in the Guardian newspaper, “I don’t think employers have any idea how debilitating and soul-destroying it is for women who have worked their entire lives and want to continue working to feel a shadow of their former selves…”

Although taking sick leave may seem like the most obvious way to keep women in the workplace whilst having the space to deal with their symptoms, it often has the opposite effect.

1. She’s eleven more likely to leave employment or step down from her position

Being away from work can feel like rejection and she can feel isolated, misunderstood and loses her confidence in her abilities. The situation can become worse as she stops believing that she’s a valuable member of the team and you could end up losing key talent and wasting money on unnecessary recruitment costs.

2. She’ll worry about what others will think of her

Admitting that she is struggling to cope with her symptoms of menopause can feel like a real blow to your female employees. She can feel like other employees will judge her, and believe that she is ‘weak’ or ‘doesn’t have what it takes to succeed in the workplace as a woman.

3. She will lack support

Encouraging her to take sick leave moves the issue away from the workplace and into the privacy of the home. By doing this, you’re letting your female staff members down, neglecting their needs and avoiding the issue.

4. She may feel discriminated against

If your female employee feels like you have discriminated against her unfairly, she could seek compensation under the Equality Act 2010. Although menopause isn’t specifically protected, many claims are made on the basis that menopause symptoms can be considered a disability.

Are you making reasonable adjustments for your menopausal employees?

Many employers believe that by making adjustments to the workplace, they can help their female employees to continue to work at their best. This often includes:

•  Offering more flexible start and finish times
•  Providing a fan
•  Moving the desk to a window
•  Offering a private rest space
•  Allowing extra time for medical appointments

Whilst this can indeed make a huge difference to a woman’s performance and how valued she feels as a team member, many feel embarrassed or ‘singled out’ or even avoid admitting to their problems. As a result, they may not seek the help they need and continue to struggle as their performance and productivity affect your business.

The solution lies in raising awareness, opening up the conversation, changing attitudes and embedding the changes that are needed to support female employees through this entirely natural phase of life.

What can employers do instead to ensure women feel safe in the workplace?

We need to take a more proactive approach and get to the root of the problem, instead of attempting to troubleshoot problems or challenges as they occur.

By putting a menopause policy into place, we can ensure that women feel valued in the workplace, help them to thrive not only survive and save money on recruitment or absences. Here are some suggestions:

Education

Educate women on the early signs of perimenopause (the phase leading up to menopause) so they know what to expect and the changes they may experience.

Awareness

Make sure all employees understand what menopause is and what changes they may witness when it happens. This is especially important for senior management staff who can use this information to offer help as early into the menopausal journey as possible.

Conversation

Women should feel comfortable enough to share their experiences with management staff without judgment and know that help is available when needed.

Support

Teach women how to support themselves holistically during this phase so they feel good and confident in their performance. This should include diet, exercise and wellness strategies that ensure they feel empowered and in control. You can also offer those adaptations mentioned above such as installing a fan, offering flexible working hours and offering a private rest space if required.

Get your Menopause Policy sorted for you

Protect your business, save money and take care of your female employees by putting a solid Menopause Policy into place.

Here at Smarter Change, I offer bespoke menopause training, support, toolkits and coaching that can help you become more menopause friendly, support a culture of inclusivity, diversity & equality, boost performance and keep your top talent. Contact me today to find out more.