Times have changed: Menopause matters for business

Until recently, taboos around the menopause were so entrenched that many people didn’t even use the ‘M’ word. Instead, they resorted to euphemisms such as ‘the change’ or ‘change of life’, or simply ignored the subject altogether.

But times have changed, and not engaging with the issues around menopause or supporting women in the workplace is no longer an option for any organisation.

Data from the Department for Work and Pensions shows menopausal women are now the fastest growing demographic in the workplace.1 This statistic is even more striking when you consider that every year almost a million women — many at the peak of their careers — leave the workforce because of menopause symptoms.²

Squandering talent
“These are women in the prime of their lives.”, says MP Caroline Nokes, chair of the House of Commons women and equalities committee, which recently launched an inquiry into menopause and the workplace. “These are the people who should be the trailblazers and role models for younger people in the workplace.”³

Apart from losing talent, effective menopause support protects against legal risks, where a growing number of women are taking their employers to court citing menopause as evidence of unfair dismissal or sex-based discrimination. In 2018, only five employment tribunals referenced the claimant’s menopause, in 2019 it was six, in 2020 there were 16 and in the first half of 2021, there were already 10.⁴

Every woman’s experience of the menopause — which is defined as not having a period for 12 months⁵ — is unique. Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55; in the UK the average age is 51⁶, but it can start even earlier — one in a hundred women go through menopause before they are 40⁷. The process can last up to 12 years⁸ and for many women, challenges begin during perimenopause — the four to eight years leading up to end of menstruation.⁹

Symptoms
Symptoms more commonly associated with menopause¹⁰ usually span both phases and can include low mood, anxiety, panic attacks, problems with memory and concentration, difficulty sleeping, muscle and joint pain, recurrent urinary tract infections, headaches and palpitations, as well as symptoms such irregular periods, unusually heavy or light periods, hot flushes and night sweats.

Not surprisingly, these symptoms often undermine performance in the workplace and women’s confidence. For one in four, menopause symptoms are so severe they are debilitating. And many women are forced to take long-term absence – on average 32 weeks – to manage symptoms.¹¹

Yet Bupa research has shown that 45% of women never discuss menopause symptoms with their GP¹², and if they do, a gap still exists in women’s health issues. This is because menopause is not a compulsory part of GP training and NICE guidelines only came into place in 2015. As such some GPs can find themselves ill equipped to recognise and manage symptoms in a typical 10-minute appointment.¹³

Research
This is why Bupa has worked with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) to carry out independent research around the impact of menopause and produce a series of guides and resources to support women and their managers.

A Guide to Managing Menopause at Work, which we developed with the CIPD, gives practical advice on how to create an open culture, where women feel comfortable to ask for support, and companies have the flexibility to ensure teams are productive and performing at their best.

This approach is built on five key behavioural areas identified by CIPD research:¹⁴

Being open, fair and consistent
Handling conflict and people management issues
Providing knowledge, clarity and guidance
Building and sustaining relationships
Supporting development

Simple changes
Dr Samantha Wild, Bupa’s Women’s Health Clinical Lead, says, “The menopause does not need to be an awkward or embarrassing topic, and it certainly shouldn’t mean a woman should press pause on her working life.

“Often a few simple changes to someone’s working environment can make a world of difference, enabling someone experiencing menopausal symptoms to continue performing and contributing to their full potential. Just being able to talk openly can have a tremendous effect.”

For information on how you can support your people with the menopause, take a look at the CIPD Guide to Managing Menopause at Work

Open up conversations in the workplace with our Menopause Conversation Guide

Find out more about the Bupa Menopause Plan

Explore the latest insights from Bupa on the importance of diversity and inclusion on health and wellbeing.

1 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/568240/employment-stats-workers-aged-50-and-over-1984-2015.pdf (PDF, 0.2MB) and https://www.bupa.co.uk/~/media/Files/MMS/bins-04794.pdf (PDF, 0.1MB)

2 https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/culture/well-being/menopause/people-manager-guidance#gref

3 https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/17/my-bosses-were-happy-to-destroy-me-the-women-forced-out-of-work-by-menopause

4 https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/07/menopause-centre-increasing-number-uk-employment-tribunals

5 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20353397

6 https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/sexual-and-reproductive/menopause

7 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/

8 https://www.bupa.co.uk/~/media/Files/MMS/bins-04794.pdf (PDF, 0.1MB)