Employers urged to ’normalise’ menopause in the workplace
She said: “Just as many employers now have a stress policy, some employers have brought in a menopause specific policy which provides guidance for managers
and reassurance for employees on how menopause related issues will be managed and what support is available.”
GP and menopause expert Louise Newson said it was a “silent issue for too many organisations”.
The BBC survey asked 1,009 women aged 50 to 60 how their experience of the menopause had affected their work
and relationships and what their symptoms and treatment were.
Nearly half of respondents said the menopause had affected their mental health, while a quarter said it made them want to stay at home.
Professor Amanda Griffiths, a psychologist specialising in mid-life and older people’s health and wellbeing at work, said: “Employers can help by communicating to their workforce
that health-related problems such as the menopause are normal.
The poll, by Comres for BBC Radio Sheffield and Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, found 70% of women did not make their
employer aware they were experiencing symptoms, while nearly a third said they had not visited their GP.
The woman might have been having difficulty sleeping so having a later start to
work might be feasible for some women, or just to miss the rush hour as well.”
These are external links and will open in a new window
Employers need to do more to “normalise conversations” about the menopause in the workplace, say experts.