18 October 2022

Menopause education in the workplace must be for everyone, and employers need to know what support is available

Debra Clark, Head of Specialist Consulting at Towergate Employee Benefits, is calling for menopause education in the workplace to be for everyone, not just people going through menopause. She said:

“There is a great deal of misunderstanding surrounding the symptoms and impact of menopause.

“Everyone will be impacted by the menopause at some point in their working lives, either going through it, or knowing someone going through it. So it’s vital that education and awareness isn’t only directed at people going through menopause, it must also be inclusive of all genders and all ages. Increased understanding is the first step in creating a culture that’s supportive.

“Employers are in a unique position to be able to offer information and support on menopause and its impact. The positive effects of greater education will help the individuals involved, their families, colleagues, as well as the business itself.

“Workplace support won’t be as effective if it isn’t offered widely enough.”

Education is arguably even more important for employees that work overseas, where different cultures also need to be taken into account.

Sarah Dennis, Head of International said:

“In many countries, menopause may not even be recognised as an issue in the workplace, much less talked about openly and positively. International employers must therefore actively support employees affected. The first step to be taken is to create awareness and to share information – to normalise the discussion of menopause and its symptoms.

“Menopause support for international staff must be particularly well communicated as there are so many more barriers to uptake, given geographical and cultural distances and differences. With some cultures being much more hesitant to discuss the issues, workplace education has an even greater role to play on a global basis.”

“Simple options to improve the work environment include providing desk fans, allowing uniform adjustments, and the freedom to take breaks as required. This may all seem obvious in the UK but may not be so commonplace in other countries.

“There is now a great deal more structured external support available from health and wellbeing specialists for overseas employees going through perimenopause or menopause. It is possible to arrange access to specialist menopause practitioners, for example, to talk about an individual’s unique symptoms and to seek clinical medical advice.”

For more information on how to support employees at home and abroad going through perimenopause and menopause contact Towergate Employee Benefits.