Menopause policy

There is a duty on employers to protect the health and wellbeing of their workforce, protect them from unlawful discrimination and not to behave in a way which undermines the implied term of trust and confidence. This policy aims to provide support and guidance to help both managers and employees to better understand wellbeing issues that employees may be facing during menopause and how we can support them. The policy supports Falkirk Council's commitment to the health and wellbeing of its employees.

It is important that together we create an environment where employees feel confident and able to discuss their wellbeing, whether it is physical or psychological. There is a need to create a work environment where the wellbeing of employees is understood and supported, and issues around physical and mental health are managed in a mature and sensitive way.

There are also some particular wellbeing issues which may unavoidably impact on our workforce. For example, all women will experience menopause at some point during their life. Menopause can also impact trans-men and non-binary people who do not identify as female. Most of those who experience the menopause will do so between the ages of 45 and 55 while others start experiencing symptoms much earlier. On average, symptoms last between 4 and 8 years, but they can continue for longer.

  1. Table of contents

What an employee may be experiencing

There are many symptoms and behaviours to be aware of, and when you recognise them it is important that you have a confidential conversation with the employee to see what support can be provided. It is important to remember that each employee is an individual and should be treated as one.

Here are some examples of what employees may be experiencing physically or psychologically and potential options for support in the workplace. This list is not exhaustive, and some symptoms may impact on individuals differently.

Anxiety and stress

  • Be able to take time away from work
  • Ability to practice relaxation techniques and support for lunchtime walks
  • Undertaking mindfulness activities such as breathing exercises, going for a walk, time away from the screen etc
  • Able to review workload, and consider flexible working options
  • Be able to use a quiet space to work or flexible working arrangements such as working from home (where possible)

Heavy/light periods

  • Ensuring ease of access to bathroom facilities, drinking water and rest facilities
  • Flexible working arrangements – working from home (where possible), short term changes to work pattern or hours
  • Gender-sensitive absence management
  • Awareness that employee may require time off and not want to fully disclose real reason for absence(s)
  • Ensure confidentiality and sensitivity to allow honesty and openness
  • Recognise it could be causing other symptoms for example anxiety, tiredness, confidence and mood.
  • Provide extra uniforms where this may assist.
  • Ensure a supply of feminine hygiene products are always in the toilet facilities

Tiredness and sleeping difficulties

  • Variation to start and finish times (where possible)
  • Flexible working options, particularly where this is impacting lack of sleep
  • Support with dealing with anxiety if this is causing sleeping difficulties

Headaches

  • Ensuring ease of access to drinking water
  • Enable time out and flexibility where medication is needed
  • Offer a quiet space to work or flexible working arrangements such as working from home (where possible)

Hot flushes

  • Where the employee can't work from home, provide a fan, or change their work environment to ensure they are near a window/away from a heat source
  • Ensure easy access to fresh drinking water
  • Provide an alternative lighter uniform or allow them to adapt what they wear to help with the hot flush
  • Ensure access to a rest area for breaks when required, particularly where the job involves long periods of standing or sitting
  • Improve the working environment by ensuring good ventilation

Confidence and self-esteem

  • Ensure regular Good Conversations and support meetings
  • Ensure positive feedback is given for good work
  • Ensure there is time available for the employee to discuss any issues
  • Agree protected time for the employee to catch up with you on work issues or concerns

Panic attacks

  • Where practical, agree time out can be taken away from others without the need to ask for or where not practical, agree a sign where you need to speak to someone in private or need immediate support
  • Be able to have time away from work to undertake relaxations techniques
  • Undertaking mindfulness activities such as breathing exercises, going for a walk, time away from the screen etc

Change of mood - low/swings

  • Where practical, agree time out can be taken away from others without the need to ask for permission or where not practical, agree a sign where you need to speak to someone in private or need immediate support
  • Arrange more time with the team where this may provide support to the employee
  • Consider flexibility of working – whether it is more time in the office or working from home (where possible)
  • Consider job adjustments to provide support – work pattern, workload etc
  • Refer the employee to online support or to the Employee Assistance Programme

Lack of concentration

  • Engage conversation about particular situations or times of day when this is better or worse for the employee, adjust working pattern or arrangements to accommodate
  • Review the workload and task allocation
  • Offer a quiet space to work or flexible working arrangements such as working from home (where possible)
  • Agree on protected times that the employee can have without being disturbed to carry out or catch up on work

Caring responsibilities

  • Ensure confidentiality and sensitivity to allow honesty and openness
  • Flexible working arrangements – working from home (where possible), short term changes to work pattern or hours
  • Recognise it could be causing other symptoms for example anxiety, tiredness, low confidence, and mood.

See Resources & links for accessible support.

How to support wellbeing

It is important to remember that everyone’s support needs are unique, and what may be suitable for one individual may not be for another. Sensitivity and maturity to the situation are key. It is of great importance to provide time, dignity and respect for each individual. This can be achieved by:

  • Allowing adequate time to have a conversation
  • Making sure it is done confidentially – this may be different for each employee
  • Encourage employees to speak openly and honestly, without any fear of ridicule
  • Not being dismissive of what the employee is telling you – how they are feeling is real for them, being dismissive could make matter worse
  • Suggesting ways for the employee to seek support and provide resources – for example having regular check-ins, using online support tools, visiting their GP, referral to Occupational Health etc.
  • Offering suggestions of how the workplace can be of help – changing work pattern or hours, enabling working from home (where possible), ensuring access to facilities such as toilets, drinking water etc, enabling work to be done in private/quiet area, aid employee to stand/sit to do their work and vary this etc.
  • Considering ways in which the employee can signal to you that they are feeling particularly poor on certain days and agree with them how to deal with these situations
  • Agreeing with the employee if other members of the team can be informed, by whom and for what purpose, or to provide additional support
  • Ensuring that there is an agreed time to meet again to see how things are going

Roles and Responsibilities

We are committed to providing a positive work environment for our employees and promote their health and wellbeing. It is key that each of us understand our role in supporting employees.

Senior Leadership

  • Act as a role model for positive leadership and proactively challenge behaviour and actions that may affect employee mental health and wellbeing
  • Encourage and promote Anytime Anywhere working to help improve employees’ work life balance
  • Support line managers in implementing mental health and wellbeing initiatives and ensure they have adequate time, resources, and training to balance the aims of the Council and employees’ health and wellbeing
  • Attend relevant training and ensure line managers also participate to ensure increased knowledge and support to employees
  • Ensure line managers are aware that supporting mental health and wellbeing is central to their role

Line Managers

  • Awareness of this policy and supporting policies to provide adequate support
  • Be willing and ready to have open discussions with employees on issues that are very personal, treating all discussions with the upmost sensitivity, confidentiality and professionalism
  • Use the information in this policy and supporting policies for example, Occupational Health, Employee Assistance Programme
  • Ensure participation with relevant training to increase knowledge and improve support for employees
  • Take into account the employee’s views on the support they feel is required – this will be different for everyone, but making sure they know available options
  • Record, and balance any adjustments made or actions implemented to support the employee
  • Ensure ongoing conversation is taking place, and creating a positive work environment for employees

Employees

  • Take personal responsibility to look after your physical and mental health and wellbeing
  • Engage and communicate with line managers to improve both their and others physical and mental health and wellbeing within the workplace
  • Be open and honest in discussions with your line manager and keep them updated with any changes to allow suitable support to be given
  • Be willing to accept relevant help and support

Please find below links to online resources and policy to support employee wellbeing in the workplace.

Internal resources

External resources