UK employers not meeting the needs of women who experience menopause

UK employers have a long way to go when it comes to meeting the needs of women experiencing menopause.

According to research by Ipsos MORI, over half of working women aged 40-65 have experienced three or more symptoms they know, or believe, are related to menopause. Symptoms included, hot flushes (47%), night sweats (41%) and feeling tired (35%).

Only 12% of the respondents said they haven’t experienced menopausal symptoms.

Some 28% of women aged between 40-65 experienced a lack in energy while working and 24% said they had headaches during working hours.

Half of all women experiencing three or more symptoms have experienced at least one further detrimental impact on their working lives including, a negative impact on their relationships with colleagues, having to reduce their working hours or considering resigning.

Meanwhile 48% of those who experience three or more menopausal symptoms have not spoken to anyone at work about their experiences.

With the research finding that those who have experienced menopausal symptoms are significantly more likely to turn to female colleagues rather than male. 45% admitted they have spoken to a female co-worker compared to only 1% who have turned to a male.

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Just 40% of women and 27% of men aged 40-65 feel equipped to support a colleague experiencing menopause symptoms. Yet only 44% of women would attend menopause awareness training offered by their employer, and only a third of men would do the same

Six in 10 women how have experienced symptoms would like to see their employer do more while over half (55%) say they would feel more positively about a company who had a menopause awareness programme.

Over a third — or 37% — would like their employers to offer access to specialist menopause advice from a third-party expert, while 31% would like their employer to offer a menopause policy.

Only around one in every 20 women aged 40-65 in work are aware of their employer offering proactive policies or support to women with menopause.

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