New UK research has highlighted a significant gap between the number of women experiencing menstrual-health symptoms at work and those receiving support from their employer.
Research led by the Autonomy Institute and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Caucus at Heriot-Watt University found that 50% of women said menstrual symptoms had negatively affected them at work during the previous 12 months. However, only 16% had received employer support.
The study, based on responses from 1,205 women across the UK, also found that 39% had been negatively affected at work by perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms. While 42% had taken time off because of symptoms, 77% had continued working through them on at least one day.
When asked what would help them work at their best, 40% selected greater manager understanding, while 29% selected having a formal policy.
Policies remain important. They can explain the support available and give employees confidence to raise concerns. However, the employee’s experience will often be shaped by what happens when they speak to their manager.
What should a manager do when someone speaks up?
Managers should not be expected to diagnose symptoms or provide medical advice. Their role is to listen and understand how the employee is being affected at work.
The conversation should begin by asking which aspects of the working day or role are currently difficult and whether any practical changes could help.
Depending on the employee and their work, this might involve working patterns, breaks, temperature, uniform requirements, access to facilities or temporary changes to particular duties.
The manager does not need a detailed medical history. The focus should remain on the effect at work and the support that may be appropriate.
Some arrangements may be within the manager’s authority to agree. Others may require advice from HR, occupational health or another relevant team. Managers need to understand that distinction so they can explain what will happen next.
If they do not have an immediate answer, they should explain that further advice is needed and confirm when the employee can expect a response.
Greater manager understanding does not mean turning managers into women’s health experts. It means giving them enough guidance to handle the initial conversation sensitively and connect the employee with the right support.
Record only what is necessary
Employers should avoid turning workplace support into unnecessary data collection.
In many cases, the useful record will be the action agreed, who needs to know and when the arrangement will be reviewed, rather than a detailed account of the employee’s health.
A review date can be useful for temporary arrangements. It allows the employee and manager to discuss whether the change is helping and whether it should continue, be adjusted or come to an end.
Do not wait for sickness absence
Although 42% of respondents had taken time off because of symptoms, 77% had continued working through them on at least one day.
An absence record will therefore show only part of the picture. If support begins only once sickness absence is recorded, employers may miss employees who remain at work while struggling.
Regular one-to-one conversations can give employees an opportunity to raise concerns earlier, but this depends on them trusting that their manager will respond appropriately.
Managers need to approach these conversations calmly, maintain confidentiality and avoid making assumptions about what the employee needs.
Make the next step clear
A well-written policy can still lead to inconsistent experiences if managers cannot find it, do not understand it or are unsure what they are permitted to offer.
Managers need access to current guidance, suitable training and a clear route for seeking further advice. Employers should also consider whether employees across different teams and locations would receive a broadly consistent response.
The most useful test is straightforward: if an employee raised the issue tomorrow, would their manager know how to respond and what to do next?
Evalu-8 HR Software’s Manager Support Checklist
When an employee raises a menstrual, perimenopausal, or menopausal health concern, managers should:
- Listen without attempting to diagnose the symptoms.
- Ask how the employee is being affected at work.
- Discuss the practical support that may be available.
- Explain when HR, occupational health or another team needs to be involved.
- Agree a clear next step.
- Record only the information needed to manage the arrangement.
- Confirm who needs to know.
- Set an appropriate date to review the support.
A women’s health policy provides an important foundation, but employees experience support through the conversations and decisions that follow. The measure of a policy is not simply whether it has been published, but whether managers are equipped to put it into practice.
About the author
Josh McNicholas is a Senior Member of the Evalu-8 HR Software team and has worked
with leading organisations across multiple industries to improve their HR & people
processes through digital transformation.
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