- Conference
- 2026 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2025
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes:
That menopause is a workplace issue affecting a significant proportion of the workforce. Awareness and support for menopause in the workplace has increased in recent years, including the introduction of workplace menopause policies in some sectors. However, many menopause support initiatives such as flexible working, access to desk fans, or remote working and adjustments are often designed around office-based roles and fail to consider the needs of women in frontline, manual, or non-office-based roles. For example, cleaners, retail workers, transport staff, carers, manufacturing, catering, and education support staff.
Women in non-office-based roles often face additional challenges in managing menopause symptoms at work, including lack of privacy, limited control over shift patterns, uniforms that worsen symptoms, and minimal access to toilet or rest facilities. Without tailored support, these workers face greater risk of sickness absence, disciplinary action, or being pushed out of the workforce entirely. We need to support members going through menopause, but that support must be inclusive and accessible for all women, regardless of job type, working environment, or sector.
We call on National Womens Committee to
1)To Work with Branches, Regions, and Self Organised Groups to campaign for menopause equality across all sectors, with a focus on improving conditions for non-office-based workers.
2)To encourage branches to call for mandatory, inclusive menopause policies that consider the specific needs of women in frontline and manual roles.
3)To Work with Branches, Regions, and Self Organised Groups to call on employers to review uniform policies to allow for breathable, comfortable options and to ensure access to appropriate rest areas, hydration, and toilet breaks for all workers and adapt shift patterns or duties where needed in response to menopause-related health issues.
4)To gather and share best practice examples of menopause support from sectors with high numbers of non-office-based women workers.
5)To ensure that all future campaigns for workplace equality around menopause are intersectional and inclusive, considering class, ethnicity, job role, and working conditions.
