Four in five women complain about menopause support in the workplace, finds UK survey

More than 80 per cent of UK women going though menopause say their employer do not support them in the workplace, polling has shown.

A survey of 13,000 female union members conducted by the Unite trade union about toilet, period and menopause dignity at work found that many women still struggle to get toilet breaks or adjustments for their menopause symptoms.

Of the women who do not have menopause support, many expressed serious unease when talking about the topic at work, due to male dominated environments, with many male managers seemingly oblivious to the health implications of the menopause, the survey found.

Some of the women who took part in the survey said they were often not allowed adjustments, such as fans for the office or leave of absence, having to work in uncomfortable conditions.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: “It’s despicable that so many women do not have access to basic support.

“It’s a serious industrial matter and attitudes must shift as we work to make lasting improvements for everyone in the workplace.”

One respondent told Unite that a male boss referred to her as “pathetic” for having a hand fan. While another said that it is unsafe to do her job with extreme menopausal symptoms, but must go into work as she can’t afford to lose pay.

A woman who works in civil air transport told Unite that she must work in a uniform that exacerbates hot flushes and has nowhere to change.

The worker said: “Lots of requests have been made to provide our outside access posts with more adequate cooling options, such as tinting on the windows and fans. But management’s answer was to give us sunscreen, which does absolutely nothing to relieve the symptoms of menopause.”

Unite national equalities officer, Alison Spencer-Scragg, said: “Women shouldn’t feel alone in dealing with menopause at work. We are committed to making sure employers not only comply with their legal obligations but also promote a menopause friendly workplace.

She added: “This is a collective issue for our members and by working with our reps and activists, we will ensure that real change is implemented.”