Menopause in the workplace

Having a conversation about menopause in the workplace is worth doing if you want to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for your team. Whether it's hot flashes, sleepless nights, or brain fog, the effects of menopause can heavily impact an employee’s work life.

That's where you come in. By understanding menopause, you can create a more supportive workspace, keeping productivity up. And if you need expert advice on this, BrightHR is here for you with a 24/7 employment relations helpline just a phone call away.

Menopause and its impact on your workplace?

Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycle, typically occurring between the ages of 45 and 55. It's part of life — but the symptoms can significantly affect how someone feels and performs at work.

Common symptoms of menopause

• Hot flashes and night sweats

• Sleep disturbances leading to fatigue

• Mood changes like anxiety, depression, or irritability

• Memory lapses or difficulty concentrating

• Physical changes such as joint pain, weight gain, and headaches

Impact on work performance

Menopausal symptoms don't just stay at home; they also come to work. Research by the Australian Menopause Society found that half of women have been reported as finding work difficult due to their symptoms of menopause. Poor concentration, tiredness, poor memory, depression, feeling low, lowered confidence, sleepiness and particularly hot flushes are all cited as contributing factors.

Fatigue and concentration issues can reduce productivity, and mood swings or discomfort might lead to absenteeism or presenteeism. In fact, it has been estimated that around 10% of women actually stop work altogether because of their severe menopausal symptoms.

If you're unsure how to navigate this, BrightHR's HR document library has templates to help you implement workplace policies tailored to menopause support.

Employer obligations for menopause at work

The Australian Government has included promoting workforce participation as a priority area for older women. Addressing the lack of awareness of menopause is a major step employers can take to assist their organisation and workforce. Free resources for Australian workplaces and managers are available.

Organisations can address the lack of menopause awareness by:

• Improving understanding of menopause and prioritising health and wellbeing in the workplace.

• Ensuring employees with menopausal symptoms impacting their work are not stigmatised, discriminated against, bullied, or harassed.

• Recognising how work patterns could impact symptoms and allowing flexible working arrangements, where possible.

• Developing policies supportive of menopause as part of induction, training and development programs for employees.

• Including coverage of menopause in leave policies and assisting employees to access workplace healthcare.

• Providing training for managers and supervisors to understand menopause and how to have sensitive conversations about menopause at work.

Equal Opportunity Act 2010

If the symptoms of menopause have a substantial and long-term impact on an employee's daily activities, they can be considered a disability. In such cases, under the Equal Opportunity Act, employers must make reasonable adjustments to avoid discrimination. As claims are most likely to be formed around the protected characteristics of sex, age and disability.

Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Under the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act, you also have a duty of care to provide a safe and healthy workplace. This means considering the specific health risks that menopause can bring, from hot flushes to physical discomfort, and providing solutions, like ergonomic equipment or temperature control.

Creating a supportive work environment for menopausal women

Creating a culture where employees feel supported during menopause isn't just good practice — it's essential to maintaining productivity and morale.

Managers who are comfortable having sensitive conversations about menopause are in a better position to help create a positive workplace that improves quality of life, productivity, and motivation for all employees. Managers and supervisors can contribute to a more inclusive workplace by:

• Creating a supportive culture for people going through menopause such as implementing a menopause policy, offering flexible work arrangements and educating managers and colleagues.

• Enabling employees to discuss their menopausal symptoms without assuming everyone who experiences menopause will want to talk about it.

• Considering using occupational health professionals to advise on suitable arrangements for employees.

• Allowing flexibility of dress codes.

• Reviewing workplace temperature control and ventilation, including the ability to adjust temperature (eg. fans in work areas).

• Allowing work breaks to manage severe symptoms.

• Promoting a healthy lifestyle in the workplace (eg. healthy snacks, lunchtime walking groups).

By taking these steps, you'll make life easier for your team — and create a more inclusive workplace. Want to create your own policy regarding your processes for supporting employees during menopause?  BrightHR's HR guides and templates can help. With a blank policy template you can begin to build a policy that allows you to guide managers and supervisors on how to support employees.

Developing communication strategies in the workplace

Use newsletters, workshops, and your intranet to raise awareness and provide information about menopause. Share case studies or success stories highlighting how supporting employees can positively impact them.

Encourage managers to check in regularly with employees and create a safe space for conversations about menopause. It doesn't have to be a big deal — sometimes, asking, "How can we support you?" is enough.

Creating a culture of openness helps build trust and encourages employees to come forward with their concerns instead of suffering in silence.

Supporting employee wellbeing is vital, especially during menopause. Confidential support and practical resources can make all the difference.

How HR software can help

Provide access to confidential services like BrightHR’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which offer professional counselling and emotional support. This ensures employees feel safe and supported when discussing sensitive topics.

Equip your managers and supervisors with the tools they need with BrightBase — such as policy documentation for step-by-step guides on how to handle menopause in the workplace. Or, give our BrightAdvice line a call if you’re in need of some immediate HR advice.

Book your free product demo or call 1 300 029 198 today.