In this chapter, we explore menopause transition in the workplace. Menopause describes the cessation of periods and is a natural life stage. Menopause transition, or ‘peri-menopause’, is ‘the time between onset of menstrual irregularity and the menopause’ (O’Neill and Eden, 2017, p 303).1 It is associated with a number of symptoms, usually experienced between the ages of 45– 55, which include hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, poor concentration, memory loss, anxiety and weight gain. How each woman experiences menopause transition is different and unique (Banks, 2019) and the impact, duration, onset and severity of symptoms experienced vary greatly. Nevertheless, evidence suggests that, for many, transition symptoms have a negative effect on working lives (Griffiths and Hunter, 2014), with nearly 40 per cent of those in transition agreeing that menopausal symptoms had some negative effect on their work performance (Griffiths, Maclennan and Hassard, 2013). Indeed, a recent study suggests that up to a quarter of those experiencing serious symptoms have left employment (Powell, 2021).

There are a number of reasons why this workplace impact should concern employers, drawing on legal, business and social justice cases (Atkinson et al, 2021). Legally, organizations have a responsibility to employees in menopause transition. They need, for example, to ensure compliance with both the Equality Act 2010 and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and ensure they are aware of ‘best practice’ guidelines. Employer failure to recognize the impact of menopause in the workplace has resulted in a number of employer losses at employment tribunal on the grounds of discrimination and unfair dismissal. The first was recorded in 2012 (Merchant vs BT) and, while numbers are still small, cases brought had grown to ten in the first half of 2021 (Hill, 2021). There is also clearly a strong business case: the workforce is ageing and it is estimated that there are 4.3 million workers who identify as cis women aged between 50– 64 in the UK workforce (ONS, 2019). Given that the average age of menopause is 51, a significant number will be working while in transition (O’Neill and Eden, 2017).