With the recently published Employment Rights Bill prioritising menopause in the workplace and the number of employee tribunals citing menopause continuing to rise, it has never been more urgent or important for employers seeking to be menopause friendly to check their facts and sources.
Help is now at hand with the publication of a new independent evidence-based report from The Open University providing employers with the facts that truly matter when it comes to being menopause friendly.
Commissioned by Deborah Garlick, founder of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace and a recognised leader in menopause training and accreditation, the report comprises over 230 academic, government and grey literature sources making it the most comprehensive review of its kind.
“The last 10 years have seen huge change when it comes to menopause in the workplace, says Deborah Garlick, CEO of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace. “A decade ago, you’d struggle to find a menopause policy anywhere; today, there is far more awareness, but also far more noise,” she says. “We see a lot of statistics and headlines published, but not all ‘facts’ are created equal. It’s crucial to understand which ones hold water.
“We’re proud to be the only organisation to have reviewed 35 years of research,” continues Deborah. “Our approach is grounded in best practice and independently assessed, so employers can be confident it leads to real impact. Our membership and accreditation have always been evidence-based and now they’re bang up to date with this latest research.”
Wrong data carries real risks
At best, poor data results in surface-level understanding that has no real impact, creates doubt among employees and leads to external audiences questioning an organisation’s credibility. At worst, inaccurate data is fraught with risk and could lead to misguided policies, cause harm or miss the point entirely.
Fact-checking identified that a well-known menopause doctor ran a survey claiming over 90% of women said menopause seriously affected their performance at work. “The sample wasn’t representative and the messaging implied menopausal women are less productive, making women feel ‘less than’ which is neither true nor acceptable,” says Deborah.
Another figure still circulating is that 900,000 women left work due to menopause symptoms. In fact, that statistic was widely discredited yet we still see it being used today.
It’s much more accurate to quote actual data from research such as the Fawcett Society Report in 2022 which revealed that one in 10 people surveyed who worked during the menopause left a job due to their symptoms while 14% went part time to help them cope.
Don’t settle for surface-level data
“It’s important that people don’t settle for surface-level data: training, education and action must be rooted in fact-checked, robust data,” says Professor Jo Brewis, The Open University’s lead researcher on this updated evidence review. “This work includes peer-reviewed papers, expert-led insight and direct feedback from workplaces and employees. I was the lead author on the 2017 Government Equalities Office report comprising 104 sources and now we’ve reviewed over 130 additional, credible pieces of evidence.
“Together, these 230+ sources span academic studies, grey literature, lived experience and international contributions,” continues Professor Brewis. “Furthermore, our unique position gave us access to paywalled academic material – not available to most. We reviewed it thoroughly and excluded weak or misleading studies.”
This latest report reinforces why up-to-date, accurate and bias-free data is essential in developing policies, shaping effective support and building robust business cases.
Key findings from the report include:
- The most common symptoms that impact workplace performance and how certain environments can exacerbate them.
- The cost of silence around menopause and how inaction is quietly harming business productivity and employee wellbeing.
- The interventions that genuinely make a difference, backed by credible, long-term data.
- The myths that need busting and why organisations must look beyond surface-level awareness campaigns.
Leading the way
Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace is now in its tenth year. Meanwhile, Menopause Friendly has worked with over 600 member organisations and accredited 160+ employers, equipping them with evidence-based, CPD-accredited training that achieves meaningful, lasting change.
“Using an evidence-based approach to training is vital to creating inclusive, sustainable change, enabling employers to demonstrate the impact that defines a truly menopause friendly workplace,” says Deborah. “This report brings essential clarity and reaffirms that becoming a menopause friendly employer is a measurable, strategic commitment, not a tick-box exercise.”