Women's Network Blog: Understanding the Impact of Menopause at Work

By Siobhan Kearney, founder and Director of Menopause ChangeMaker Training Ltd. 

Menopause can affect many aspects of a woman’s life, including how she feels and manages at work. Some women find their symptoms relatively manageable. Others find that tasks they have always taken in their stride suddenly become much harder.

In the legal profession, concentration, memory, decision-making and managing competing demands are part of everyday life. When these become more difficult, it can be frustrating and unsettling, particularly when you don’t understand why you’re feeling differently.

Through my work with organisations, I’ve seen how important it is for women to understand what may be happening to them, and for employers to recognise how menopause can affect working life.

As we mark World Menopause Month, it’s a good time to look at what menopause can mean for women at work and what employers can do to support them.

Understanding the impact

Menopause is reached after 12 consecutive months without a period. The years leading up to this are known as perimenopause, when changing hormone levels can cause symptoms to develop and fluctuate. Symptoms can continue after menopause, sometimes for several years.

Menopause can bring a range of physical and mental health symptoms, and every woman’s experience is different.

Fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, low mood, joint pain and headaches can all make a working day more difficult. Problems with memory and concentration, often described as brain fog, can be particularly challenging in a profession where attention to detail is important.

You might lose track of a conversation, struggle to find the right word in a meeting or find it harder to concentrate on a document. You may feel more anxious than usual, become overwhelmed by competing demands or notice that your confidence has taken a knock.

These changes can be worrying, particularly if you don’t realise that menopause may be contributing to how you feel. Many women are also reluctant to talk about their symptoms at work because they fear being judged or misunderstood.

It’s important to remember that other health conditions can cause similar symptoms. If you notice changes that are new, persistent or causing concern, speak to your GP.

What you can do to help yourself

There are practical steps you can take to understand and manage your symptoms, although what helps one woman may not help another.

Keep track of your symptoms. Make a note of when they occur, how they affect you and whether you notice any patterns. This can help you understand what you’re experiencing and give you useful information to discuss with your GP.

Look after your health. Getting enough sleep, taking regular exercise and eating a balanced diet can all support your general health. Some women find that particular foods or drinks affect their symptoms. Keeping a note of what you eat and drink, and how you feel, may help you identify any patterns.

Make time to rest. Tiredness and disrupted sleep can make it harder to manage the demands of everyday life. Where possible, take breaks, find ways to manage stress and make time for activities that help you switch off.

Seek advice when you need it. If symptoms are affecting your everyday life, speak to your GP about what might help. Treatment options include HRT where appropriate, and your GP can discuss the potential benefits and risks in light of your individual circumstances.

It’s also worth using reliable sources of information. The NHS, Women’s Health Concern and The Menopause Charity all provide information about menopause, symptoms and treatment options.

When symptoms affect your work

If symptoms are making work more difficult, think about what might help you manage your responsibilities. You may benefit from more flexibility around breaks, a change to your working hours or access to a cooler space if you experience hot flushes.

Check whether your organisation has a menopause policy and find out who you can speak to. This might be your line manager, someone in HR or another appropriate person.

You don’t have to share every detail of your personal experience. Explaining what you’re finding difficult and how it affects your work can be enough to start a conversation about possible changes.

For employers, the first step is to ask how symptoms are affecting someone at work and what might help. The answer will depend on the person and their circumstances.

Practical steps for employers

There are several adjustments employers can consider, depending on the employee’s needs and the demands of their role.

• Temperature and facilities: Access to a cooler, well-ventilated space, drinking water and suitable toilet facilities may help with certain symptoms.
• Breaks: Flexibility around breaks can help someone manage hot flushes, fatigue or other physical symptoms.
• Working hours: Where the role allows, changes to start and finish times or working patterns may help someone dealing with disrupted sleep or tiredness.
• Workload and deadlines: If concentration or fatigue is becoming a problem, reviewing priorities, deadlines or how work is organised may help.
• Communication: Managers who listen, take concerns seriously and know where to find further advice can make it easier for employees to raise difficulties.

In a legal practice, client commitments, deadlines and the needs of colleagues also have to be considered. Not every request will be possible, but it is worth discussing what can reasonably be done.

Employers also need to understand their legal responsibilities, including when reasonable adjustments may be required. A menopause policy can explain the organisation’s approach, but managers need to know what it means in practice and how to respond when someone asks for help.

What employers need to consider

Raising awareness is important, but employers also need to think about what happens when an employee needs support.

Do managers feel comfortable having conversations about menopause? Do employees know who they can approach? Is there a clear process for considering requests for adjustments?

Training can help managers understand menopause and feel more confident responding to concerns. Menopause Champions can also give colleagues someone to approach for information and guidance. Both need to be part of a wider approach, with clear arrangements for dealing with requests for help.

For me, women should be able to raise concerns without feeling embarrassed or worrying that they will be treated differently. Employers may not be able to agree to every request, but they can listen, take concerns seriously and consider what is possible.

Menopause affects women differently, so it is important to look at each situation on its own merits. Often, the first step is simply to listen to the woman, understand what she is finding difficult and discuss what might help.

About the author

Siobhan Kearney is the founder and Director of Menopause ChangeMaker Training Ltd. 

She works with organisations to improve menopause awareness and support through training for leaders, managers, Menopause Champions and staff, helping workplaces put practical support in place for employees experiencing menopause.