More than half of Irish employers would support introduction of menopause leave

More than half (56%) of Irish SME employers would back the introduction of menopause leave and confidential menopause support in the workplace, while three in five (60%) believe that employers themselves have a role to play in encouraging a greater understanding of the issue in the workplace, a new survey by leading recruitment specialists, Excel Recruitment, has found.

The survey of 150 workers and 100 SMEs nationwide, examined attitudes towards menopause in the workplace and found strong support for the employer initiatives aimed at supporting workers experiencing menopause.

Menopause leave is paid leave from work for those suffering from menopause symptoms. While a small number of employers offer menopause leave in Ireland, such leave is not available throughout the State akin to the eligibility that is in place for employees through sick leave and maternity leave and parents.

Commenting on the survey findings, Aislinn Lea, director of non-food and fashion retail with Excel Recruitment said: “The topic of menopause is progressively moving to the forefront of public discourse, after centuries of it being swept under the carpet due to stigma, embarrassment and lack of public awareness. It can affect women when they are at the height of their careers and can lead to insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, hot flushes, and depression — all difficult symptoms to work and live through.

“On top of this, women experiencing menopause are often dealing with the additional stressors associated with childcare and/or elderly parents. It is very encouraging that our survey shows that so many employers appreciate the gravitas of the issue and the impact it can have on female employees.

“It’s abundantly clear from our survey that both employers and employees alike are more than ready to see greater appreciation across the board of the gravitas of the condition and the challenges it presents for those going through it.”

Highlights from the Excel Recruitment survey include:

More than one third (36%) of workers would like to see menopause leave introduced and even more again (38%) believe employers have a role to play in encouraging a greater understanding of the topic in the workforce.

Less than one in 10 (8%) workers believe menopause is not something an employer should get involved in, but one in five (20%) employers hold this view.

Almost one in five (18%) workers believe employers should provide access to confidential menopause support.

Ms Lea added: “As yet, there is no country in Europe that recognises a right to menopause leave. Yet recent research by the Department of Health found that 86% of women say that menopause can have a big impact on their everyday lives, that more than half of women in menopause describe it as a negative experience, and that almost one in five women experiencing menopause have severe symptoms.

“If the Government and employers are serious about encouraging more women in the workplace, and being fair to all staff, it is time we all came out of the dark ages and introduce policies and benefits which will make a real difference to women at this stage of their lives.”