A recent survey highlights the discrimination faced by menopausal women in the UK workplace, revealing significant gender disparities and societal challenges.
- Over two-thirds of UK individuals acknowledge the discrimination menopausal women face at work, underscoring a pressing societal issue.
- With increasing media coverage, new guidelines under the Equality Act 2010 have been introduced to protect menopausal women from discrimination.
- Survey results show a significant gender divide, with differing perceptions between men and women on the existence of menopause-related discrimination.
- Despite new awareness, cases such as Maria Rooney’s and Karen Farquharson’s show that significant strides are yet needed to address workplace bias.
Over two-thirds of individuals in the UK believe menopausal women face discrimination in the workplace, according to a recent survey. This highlights a significant societal challenge as the menopause can both physically and mentally affect women’s ability to manage daily tasks, complicating their professional lives. Almost 80% of menopausal women are currently in employment, reflecting the widespread nature of this issue.
The increased media focus has led to the publication of new guidelines by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) under the Equality Act 2010. These guidelines aim to protect menopausal women against discrimination in the workplace by classifying menopause symptoms as a potential disability when they substantially impact one’s daily activities.
The survey, conducted by a hormone testing company, interviewed over 2,000 individuals to gauge attitudes towards menopause-related workplace discrimination. It revealed that only 13.8% of the respondents believe women never face such discrimination, while a substantial 69% noted the occurrence of bias. Breaking down the results by gender, 74% of women and 64% of men acknowledged the existence of discrimination, though nearly 18% of men were sceptical of its occurrence.
Among younger age groups (16-24), awareness of menopause-related discrimination is notable, with almost half acknowledging its existence. This awareness may be attributed to readily available information via social media or personal connections, such as family members experiencing menopause. However, this age group, while aware, is also the least familiar with menopause from personal experience.
A primary form of discrimination identified is the passing over of menopausal women for promotions. Furthermore, there is a call for greater seriousness and understanding from line managers and colleagues regarding the symptoms experienced by these women. Employers are urged to proactively support menopausal employees to prevent discrimination complaints, which have started to emerge in employment tribunals.
Dr Beverley Taylor, a menopause expert, notes, “Sadly, this is fairly typical of where we are with menopause in the workplace.” While some organisations have initiated menopause awareness training and support, she states that more work is required. Dr Taylor points to employment tribunal cases involving Maria Rooney and Karen Farquharson as crucial reminders of the existing workplace challenges and urges for continued efforts to enable women to thrive during this life stage.
Sarah Bolt, Founder and CEO of the hormone testing company, adds, “While the heightened awareness of menopause discrimination is a positive aspect, the reality that women at this stage of life continue to experience such bias means we have much more work to do as a society.”
The growing awareness and introduction of protective guidelines mark progress, yet significant efforts remain essential to fully eliminate workplace discrimination against menopausal women.
