The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Menopause (APPG) has undertaken an inquiry into the current level of understanding amongst policymakers, the public and employers regarding menopause.
In its final report, published on 12 October 2022, the APPG recognises that despite women over 50 being the fastest growing segment of the workplace and most going through the menopause transition during their working lives, due to the current lack of legislation and guidance, many employers don’t have the necessary tools to effectively support menopausal women in the UK.
Issues ranged from requests for additional support being misunderstood and denied, the particular struggles of going through the menopause in male orientated workplaces and employees inability to take sick leave for menopausal symptoms.
The APPG, therefore, recommends that the government must:
- support an employer-led campaign to tackle the taboo surrounding menopause within the workplace and promote the importance of treating menopause as a core employee health issue; and
- update the ‘best practise’ menopause in work policies and support interventions, such as setting up menopause networks/support groups for employees and providing accessible menopause resources.
