Do we need menopause policies at work?

This World Menopause Day, I have featured in the iPaper Asking for support should not become a verdict on a woman’s professional competence.

I’m in the article discussing menopause at work, alongside two other contributors with differing perspectives on whether formal policies help women or risk reinforcing prejudice.

My position comes from living through surgical menopause and a career helping leaders handle the difficult stuff across healthcare, government and beyond.

I know how much it can take to keep delivering when you feel dreadful. I also know that leaders can make that experience considerably harder by avoiding an honest conversation.

Women should be able to say they are struggling without having to defend their competence. Equally, nobody should make assumptions about a woman’s capability because of her age or reproductive health.

Both require managers to exercise judgement. Listen to the person in front of you. Discuss what would help. Be clear about expectations and take responsibility for what you agree.

A policy can support that. It cannot have the conversation for you.

I challenge the suggestion, discussed in the article, that taking women’s experiences seriously somehow puts us at odds with evidence. We need to scrutinise whether interventions work. We also need to listen properly to the people they are intended to support.

Psychological safety and accountability belong together here.

Being able to speak honestly helps people address problems early. Clear expectations and practical support help them keep doing their jobs well. Sustainable, healthy high performance depends on both.

This is the work I do: helping leaders face what is happening in their organisations, have the conversations they have been avoiding and make decisions they will follow through on.

If your managers are avoiding conversations about health, support or performance because they fear getting them wrong, bring me in.

Say the thing. Own the thing. Stay human.

Read the piece: