- Conference
- 2024 National Higher Education Conference
- Date
- 12 October 2023
- Decision
- Carried
Approximately 3.5 million women, trans and non-binary people across the UK workforce are going through the menopause. A House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee report published in October 2022 states that “51% of the population will experience menopause” and that “women of menopausal age are the fastest growing group in the workforce who are staying in the workplace for longer than ever before”. The report also says that “a 2019 survey conducted by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that three in five menopausal women – usually aged between 45 and 55 – were negatively affected at work”. Although the average age for women to reach menopause is 51, premature and surgical menopause affects many people, including trans and non-binary people.
Symptoms can include and are not limited to hot flushes, memory issues, mood swings, difficulty sleeping, joint pain, anxiety, and depression. At times these symptoms can have a huge impact on members work and home life and their overall sense of wellbeing. It is also worth noting that experiencing severe symptoms of menopause can be classed as a disability under the Equality Act.
The Branch believes that Menopause is an organisational/workplace, health and safety and equality issue for Higher Education which needs action.
We believe all universities should have a menopause/hormone policy in place to support workers. A menopause/hormone policy we believe can be used to close the gender pay gap. This will ensure those going through the menopause are not forced to reduce their hours, leave their roles due to pre and/or post-menopausal symptoms that can go on for several years.
A policy in place in all HE branches will make women, trans and non-binary people feel supported and not pushed out of work or unable to access training or promotion opportunities.
Tasks and workloads should be reviewed by employers to understand what adjustments could be introduced to aide both individual and wider team/group needs. For example, individual adjustments around flexible working times, location of work, ability to take a break when experiencing severe symptoms, risk assessments for roles that are largely performed by women, and in wider terms investment into technology and equipment to assist with the capture of information so that members do not feel under pressure to remember detailed information, regular assessment of procedures requiring people to be customer facing for long periods of time e.g. length of rota or shift are both ways that could improve the workplace and assist all members generally.
We call on the Higher Education Service Group Executive to:
i)Campaign to introduce and highlight the importance of menopause/hormone policies into Higher Education.
ii)Campaign for better healthcare information for women, trans and non-binary people in Higher Education experiencing the menopause at work and increase awareness of relevant workplace rights.
iii)Campaign to protect and support members who experience alleged menopause discrimination in Higher Education.
iv)Widen training for all Higher Education members and Higher Education reps on the impact of the menopause.