Menopause Support for Employees and Line Managers

What is Menopause?

Menopause is the day a woman has achieved 12 months without periods The menopause usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age. The average age in the UK is 51. It is defined as when a woman has had no periods for one year or more. Some women experience a natural early menopause because of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). In Britain 110,000 women between the ages of 12 and 40 are affected. Other women may experience an early menopause due to a hysterectomy (womb removal), oophectomy (removal of ovaries), certain types of chemotherapy drugs and radiotherapy to the pelvic area.

Where we have used the term ‘women’ or male and female pronouns, within these pages the language used is purely for the flow of this information.We want to be clear that this is inclusive of everyone who goes through the menopause or menopausal symptoms as a result of hormonal changes and we recognise that perimenopause and menopause transition, can impact trans and non-binary colleagues who don’t identify as women in the same manner.

Stages of Menopause

Perimenopause

Peri menopause is the time from the start of menopausal symptoms until after a woman has experienced her last period. The BMS state that there may be 2 stages within the Peri Menopause:

Early peri-menopause Women initially experience a change in menstrual cycle pattern when periods become infrequent and the cycles become slightly longer, e.g. 6-7 weeks apart. This phase is called the ‘early peri-menopause’. The average age it occurs is 47 and it is when women may start experiencing menopausal symptoms.
Late peri-menopause Subsequently, many women experience worsening of their menopausal symptoms. Menstrual cycles become less frequent, with periods a few months apart. This is called the ‘late peri-menopause’ and the average age it occurs is 49.

Perimenopause, Cycle of Change: Understanding Menopause, is a short film to empower women and share real-life experiences from all stages of the menopause transition.

Menopause

The menopause is the stage when periods have stopped completely – and is the day that a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months.

Post Menopause

This is the stage beyond 12 months after periods have stopped. For some, perimenopausal symptoms may continue and symptoms may change over time during the post menopause stage.

Menopause and Me provide further useful information on the stages of Menopause.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Throughout each stage of the menopause, symptoms can have a big impact on daily life including relationships, social life, family life and work. It is different for everyone and some may experience a number of symptoms to varying degrees and some may not experience many or none at all.

The Menopause Charity have provided a list of some of the most common symptoms that occur both during the perimenopause and menopause. Click here to read more.

A symptom checklist can be a useful tool. The Menopause and Me Charity have provided a symptom checklist which could help prepare for a consultation with a healthcare professional or just for awareness.

Menopause causes an imbalance in hormones and this can generate a number of debilitating symptoms that for some women are so severe meet the criteria of a disability. Although hot flushes are typically cited as a stereotypical symptom, for many women the fatigue, painful joints, migraines, mental health issues and brain fog (that can feel like early on-set dementia) are the most difficult to deal with. Women may decide to deal with their symptoms by making lifestyle changes or taking natural supplements or HRT.

What is important to note is that every woman experiences the menopause as an individual and any adjustments should take into account their needs and personal circumstances.

This five minute video from Henpicked shares facts and figures on the menopause that are helpful for those living with the menopause and line managers who are trying to be supportive.

Menopause Support Group

At the University, we have an active Menopause Support Group which was established in 2018. The group is available for anyone who:

Is experiencing menopause symptoms (peri-menopause, menopause or post-menopausal)
Is experiencing significant hormonal impacts due to medication or hormonal treatment that create menopausal symptoms
Has early on-set menopause
Wants to know more about menopause to support loved ones or colleagues
Wants to ask the group for advice
Wants to share news items on the menopause
Highlights good practice at UOM
Respects the confidentiality of this space
Respects each other's experience

To join please email Kathryn.bradley@manchester.ac.uk and who will add you to this via the Health Networks on Teams.

Menopause accreditation

Our University has signed up with Menopause Friendly to achieve Menopause Accreditation. While we prepare our accreditation submission over the coming year we are ‘Committed to being a Menopause Friendly Employer’.

Our aims include:

To change mindsets and attitudes towards menopause. Making it as easy to talk about as the weather.
Everyone to understand what menopause is and be able to talk about it openly. This isn’t just an issue for women, everyone needs to know so they can support colleagues, friends and family.
Those experiencing menopause symptoms to feel confident to discuss it and ask for support if they need it to continue being happy and successful at work.
Managers to understand menopause, to confidently have good conversations, and know how to help.

We will keep sharing updates on progress over the coming months.

Information for managers

Your role as a manager in supporting those experiencing menopause symptoms is crucial. Offering support to colleagues with menopausal symptoms that are impacting on their work will help you to improve your team’s morale, retain valuable skills and talent, and reduce sickness absence.

This guide covers four compelling reasons why you should be supporting menopause in the workplace:

Demographic case
Business case
Legal case
Social responsibility case

Other support

Menopause in the Workplace - manager's essentials

Wellbeing support on campus

Eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly can help to improve some menopausal symptoms. There are lots of options that can help you get active and feel good.

On campus there is huge support for your wellbeing:

Healthy eating and menopause

There will be many different diets recommended for those experiencing menopausal symptoms, but there will be some underlying basics in all.

Menopause charity - healthy eating during menopause
British Nutrition Foundation - Nutrition and menopause
Balance.com - healthy eating
Henpicked - nutrition and exercise

Videos

We will share a range of videos covering various menopause related topics.

How to talk to your healthcare professional about menopause

Support for our trans and non-binary colleagues

Members of the trans and non-binary community can sometimes experience menopause symptoms if they are taking hormonal treatments. So it is vital for employers, managers and colleagues to be trans and non-binary inclusive in the support they give.

Not every trans or non-binary person takes hormones. A person can change their gender expression without any medical intervention whatsoever. Those taking hormones to feminise will usually take oestrogen and progesterone, along with testosterone blockers. To masculinise, they will take testosterone and oestrogen blockers. People taking these hormones have regular health checks.

Most trans people who start their transition at pre-menopausal age will never go through menopause in terms of the hormone depletion effects. This is because gender affirming hormones are typically given for life, so if a trans person starts hormone treatment before going through menopause they will never experience it. 

For trans women taking oestrogen, there is no need to withdraw oestrogen treatment at any particular age to induce menopause. It was previously thought that there was a risk associated with lifelong oestrogen treatment, but although the dosage might be reduced in some circumstances, this no longer seems to be the case.

Menopause symptoms can arise as a trans person comes off hormones, which they may have to do for procedures. They may experience the same symptoms when they restart the hormones. This hormone disruption can cause sleeplessness, fatigue, lack of concentration, mood swings, hot sweats… all similar to those which can be experienced during menopause. People experiencing these symptoms will potentially need the same workplace support as those going through menopause. This is where employers and managers need to make sure they are being fully inclusive.

Adjustments like change of uniform, access to toilet facilities and cold water, plenty of ventilation, and the chance to ask for flexible working can support all people with these symptoms.

If you have any concerns or questions about menopause, talk to your GP, who can advise you and signpost you to further support. If you feel uncomfortable talking to your GP about your menopause symptoms for any reason, Stonewall has a list of NHS organisations that are Diversity Champions and an information service that can offer advice on who to contact. You can call them on 08000 50 20 20.