Menopause: the last taboo

We are pleased to share that the University has published new guidance to support staff who are experiencing negative impacts of menopause in the workplace. Visit the Menopause in the Workplace webpages for information, including staff case studies, guidance for managers and sources of support. 

This October, to coincide with World Menopause month, we’ve also teamed up with Over The Bloody Moon, for an interactive awareness-raising workshop to help you understand more about menopause and how it affects colleagues and others in our lives. This will take place on Teams on Wednesday 12 October, 12:30–13:30. Register here

What does it have to do with me? 

Menopause affects many of our staff and mature students, yet it’s still a taboo topic in most workplaces, with only 21% of people discussing their experience at work and only 3% asking managers for help (Source: Over The Bloody Moon and Kantar research, May 22).  

A survey by British United Provident Association (BUPA) and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in 2019 found that three in five menopausal women were negatively affected at work and almost 900,000 women in the UK had left their jobs due to symptoms of menopause. At Oxford, women make up 43% of the workforce, and in the 40–60 age group, are more than 50% of the workforce.   

For those directly affected, being able to spot the signs early leads to better outcomes. Working in a supportive environment where the issue can be openly discussed and widely understood will ensure that women (and others affected by menopause) can thrive at all life-stages. Even if you are not directly affected at present, the session will get us thinking about how we can be better managers and colleagues, developing our empathy and learning about sources of menopause support. The workshop will cover: 

  • Menopause in the workplace
  • Variances, types, triggers, stages of menopause, diagnosis and how to spot the signs
  • Symptom management and prevention
  • Menopause allyship
  • Support and resources
  • Q&A 

This workshop has been designed to remove the silence around menopause and cultivate important conversations. Menopause affects us all: at some point in life you will see a colleague, friend, partner, mother or daughter go through menopause, or experience it yourself. 

Register to join the workshop now.