A report published by the Women and Equalities Select Committee in July titled ‘Menopause and the Workplace’ highlighted that there are currently 4.5 million women in the workforce between the ages of 50-64, and women of menopausal age are the fastest growing group in the workforce.

Despite this, a study conducted by BUPA revealed that around 900,000 people have left their jobs due to menopause symptoms. This not only impacts upon the number of women in senior leadership positions (as women in these positions are often of menopausal age) and exacerbates the gender imbalance in executive roles, but also has financial implications for employers and wider economic impacts.

For example, Oxford Economics told the Women and Equalities Select Committee that if a woman earning £25,000 leaves her job due to menopause symptoms, it will cost an employer £30,500 to find a replacement. More generally, a survey conducted by Health & Her estimated that the menopause costs the UK economy 14 million working days per year.

Although the Government does not intend to provide any additional protection at law for menopausal people, there is clearly an incentive for employers to voluntarily implement measures that support those affected by menopause symptoms – but what exactly can they do?

This World Menopause Day

Tuesday 18 October marked World Menopause Day. This World Menopause Day, the Diversity Project launched a campaign urging its nearly 100-strong membership, which includes major companies in the Financial Services industry, to implement menopause policies to support those suffering from menopause symptoms in the workplace, describing positive action in this field as a ‘business imperative’.

This echoes calls for better support that have been made across various industries, and we are now seeing many businesses taking action in response and implementing policies and measures to break the stigma surrounding the menopause and make their workplaces more menopause-friendly.

Popular policies include:

• Flexible working
• Forums
• Private medical insurance schemes
• E-Learning courses
• The appointment of menopause champions

Implementing one or a combination of the above policies will help businesses to recruit and retain talent, foster an inclusive culture and increase productivity amongst employees.

For further advice about implementing menopause policies and positive steps in your workplace, please contact Marian Bloodworth or your usual contact in the Deloitte Legal Employment team.