The majority of construction businesses are failing to offer employees support to deal with the menopause and could lose skilled workers as a result.
That’s according to a new YouGov survey commissioned by law firm Irwin Mitchell.
Irwin Mitchell warned construction businesses not to disregard the significance of how menopause symptoms such as joint pain, hot flushes, memory loss, fatigue and anxiety, can impact performance in the workplace.
Its call came after the survey found that six out of 10 firms in the sector do not have a menopause policy.
The study of 92 HR decision-makers working across British construction businesses found that only 28% of employers consider menopausal symptoms during the performance reviews of female staff. Symptoms have a huge impact on a women’s confidence in work, lead to periods of absence or even resignations, Irwin Mitchell said.
The key statistics from construction businesses surveyed are:
- 61% of businesses working in the construction sector do not have a menopause policy.
- 65% of businesses in the construction sector do not train their line managers in relation to menopause.
- Almost half (48%) of all the businesses that say they do not train their staff about the menopause admit to not having thought about it. 10% don’t consider it a priority while 3% claim that sensitivities and embarrassment about the issue hold them back.
- Just over half of organisations questioned (55%) say they are confident that women in their organisation feel able to talk about the menopause.
- Only 18% of organisations say they provide information about the menopause to their employees with 15% offering internal support groups.
- 55% of businesses in the construction sector say they do not consider menopause during performance reviews for female staff.
Jenny Arrowsmith, an employment law partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: These are disappointing results and when you consider that menopause is an issue which affects the fastest-growing demographic in the UK, namely women aged 50-64 – it’s clear businesses must do more.
“It’s about time that menopause is openly discussed as a health and work issue and for employers to demonstrate that they take it seriously. Establishing a menopause policy is a simple and valuable starting point.
“Organisations that have woken up to the issue and are aware of the challenges that women face when going through the menopause are in a much stronger place to attract and retain colleagues.”
“Not only does a menopause policy help to promote positive change within an organisation, it sets a framework for evidencing how the organisation will approach conversations about the menopause, what support affected employees can expect to receive and where they can access additional help. In doing so, it reduces the risk of costly disputes.
Arrowsmith pointed out that there has been a significant rise in the number of employment tribunals over the last two-to-three years where menopause was mentioned and as awareness of the issue grows, complaints are expected to increase further. The risk will increase if additional legal protection is given to those who have significant menopausal symptoms, which is something the Women and Equalities Committee are considering, she added.
“Organisations that have woken up to the issue and are aware of the challenges that women face when going through the menopause are in a much stronger place to attract and retain colleagues who are often at the peak of their experience and have many more productive years ahead of them.”
The total sample size for the online survey was 1,025 decision-makers. Fieldwork was undertaken between 10 and 28 February 2022.
