Reasonable Adjustments to Consider
The opportunity to discuss menopausal concerns should be prioritised from the start of the person employment. Regular opportunities to have an open discussion about menopause concerns and adjustment needs can be introduced as part of their onboarding processes, One to One sessions through management health and wellbeing discussions, or simply providing the right environment for an employee to talk openly, safely and without judgement.
Here are some ideas you could consider:
Working hours/location
- A change in working hours, or remote/home working.
- A reduction in travel or increased comfort breaks, dialling or video calling into meetings.
- Some possible adjustment to shift patterns.
Uniform / PPE
- A possible change to uniform requirements – avoiding man-made fibres or close-fitting uniforms.
- Uniforms in various sizes to accommodate bloating / short term weight gain.
- If own clothes are worn, consider natural fibres over man-made fibres and wear layers.
Workspace
- Flexible and easy access to bathroom facilities, so may need to move to a desk nearer the toilets.
- Ensuring there is good ventilation (fan when allowed or open a window if possible or adjust air conditioning where present).
- Access to cold drinks.
- Regular breaks in a quiet space to be able to take a moment away from the working area.
Agreeing the process for further support
- You should agree a plan with your manager which will be led by you and be unique to your situation. In some departments this is known as a Workplace Adjustments Passport.
