As women in your organisation enter their 40s and experience the onset of menopause, they may require additional support. This support can take various forms, depending on the specific needs and circumstances of each individual.

 

If an employee's menopausal symptoms are mild and not impacting their work, it may be best to allow them to continue their regular duties until they choose to approach you for support.

 

Ensure that colleagues do not dismiss an employee's judgment or decision-making as simply a result of 'menopausal brain' and fail to take her seriously. While she may make some changes during this transition that may irritate some individuals, these changes could ultimately benefit the business in the long run. Unless her decision-making is clearly detrimental to the organisation, it is important to continue supporting her, especially if she is in a managerial role.

 

For some women their menopause symptoms are severe enough to be considered a disability. In this situation employers will have a legal obligation to make reasonable workplace accommodations and to avoid any direct or indirect discrimination against women experiencing them.

 

Employers should train managers and staff on menopause awareness to promote understanding and empathy. They should make resources and support readily available for women experiencing menopause symptoms.

 

Avoid workplace practices that worsen menopausal symptoms. For instance, provide plenty of cold drinking water and adequate bathroom facilities for menopausal staff.

 

Quash any menopausal jokes or comments about menopause quickly as they could constitute harassment or sexual harassment under the Equality Act.

 

In the event a menopausal woman's performance declines due to symptoms and her employer does not respond as seriously as they would for a man with similar symptoms, she could claim gender discrimination.

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Symptoms from menopause or perimenopause may constitute a disability if they are long-lasting and substantially impact the employee's ability to perform daily activities. The law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to change or lessen the disability's effect on an employee's work. ACAS gives the example of recording menopause-related absences separately from other sick leave as a reasonable adjustment. There have been disability and sex discrimination cases won by menopausal employees. While no age discrimination cases directly related to menopause exist yet, employers must be careful, as age protections cover menopausal women. Employers should ensure age does not improperly influence recruitment and redundancy processes.

 

Managers should receive menopause education and training.​