In brief
It’s recently been said that “the ‘M word’ finally became a hot topic in 2021”.
And since we published our first article on this topic back in September 2020, it’s clear that many businesses, governments and regulators have publicly recognised menopause as a health priority and – albeit belatedly – started to take positive steps to break historic taboos and encourage support, particularly in the workplace.
64% of respondents to Part II of our recent Mind the Gap series, which seeks to build a holistic view of inclusion and diversity initiatives from global employment leaders, confirmed that their organisation has implemented some form of menopause policy. 74% of those without such a policy plan to implement one within the next two years.
In this update, we’ve summarised the key recent developments in this area, what’s on the radar over the coming months and some top tips for those employers considering menopause-related initiatives of their own.
Key takeaways
- Awareness of menopause is gaining momentum in the workplace. Governments and employers are beginning to take steps to break taboos and implement support for those affected.
- We have seen an increase in reported cases where claimants have successfully brought menopause-related discrimination claims based on the protected characteristics of age, sex and/or disability under the Equality Act 2010.
- The UK government has been reviewing existing legal protections in respect of menopause and changes to the law could be on the horizon.
There are a number of proactive steps employers could be taking in the meantime, including the implementation of a bespoke menopause policy, education initiatives and dedicated contact points.
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