Menopause Awareness Month: UK leads the way in offering menopause policies 

As we enter Menopause Awareness Month for October, feel-good PR agency Lem-uhn, has revealed that there has been a 51% increase in searches for ‘menopause policy’ in the UK in the last year. The rise in searches is illustrative of menopausal employees seeking additional support, as well as shifting attitudes in the workplace.

The data, compiled by Lem-uhn using Google Trends, found that there was a noticeable uptake in UK searches for ‘menopause policy’ shortly after Davina McCall’s book Menopausing was published in September 2022. Lem-uhn also identified another spike in March 2023 when the UK government appointed its first Menopause Employment Champion in an effort to improve workplace support for menopausal employees. This comes after a UK survey conducted in 2019 showed that 90% of women reported that their workplace did not offer support for menopause, with only 5% mentioning that their employer offered advice.

This lack of support is likely driving the increase in searches, as people seek out information and resources on how to manage menopause at their places of employment. On the other hand, companies are also increasingly aware of the need to revise their policies to best support menopausal employees, as they recognise the benefits of creating a more inclusive and supportive workplace for all.

The top countries searching for ‘menopause and work’:

Rank	The top countries searching for ’menopause and work’
1	United Kingdom
2	Ireland
3	South Africa
4	United States
5	Canada
6	Australia
7	India

 

Lem-uhn also unveils that the UK is the number one country searching for “menopause and work”, with searches for these terms 31% more popular than in Ireland, and 69% higher than in South Africa, the second and third most popular countries on the list.

In line with shifting attitudes in the workplace, Lem-uhn announced its Menstrual Policy allowing employees up to ten days’ leave for debilitating periods and menopause symptoms and following pregnancy loss.

Riannon Palmer, founder and managing director of Lem-uhn, said: “Menopause currently is or will in the future affect half of the world. Workplaces must provide better support to ensure that talented women are able to remain in the workplace. We hope that policies like ours will make life easier for women and be part of the change to normalise the conversation about a natural and inevitable part of life for half of the population.”