Should women be given menopause leave?

The issue of whether or not female employees should be entitled to other, more specific, types of benefits has been rolling round the HR sphere for a while now. With news that certain companies are allowing women to take ‘period leave’, a day off every month when their period pains take hold, has led some businesses to question whether ‘menopause leave’ should be enacted.    

Recently, a Government report suggested that desk fans should be installed in offices in order to help women going through the menopause. The report from the Government Equalities Office, found that a lot of female workers struggle in traditional office environments due to hot flushes and headaches associated with the menopause.

What’s more, one quarter of women going through the menopause have considered leaving work. A study from ITV Tonight found that 85% of those surveyed believed that there should be health guidelines in place to deal with menopausal staff. Furthermore, in 2015, Professor Dame Sally Davies, England’s Chief Medical Officer, advised employers that in order to keep a diverse workforce, more action needs to be taken to help menopausal women in work.

“The menopause is a natural part of life, but it can feel like a great taboo,” Dame Davies told the Daily Mail. “It is inexcusable that women who are experiencing symptoms should feel unable to discuss how they are feeling at work. I want to encourage managers to ensure working women feel as comfortable discussing their symptoms as they would any other issues affecting them in the workplace.”