222 Steps....

When you are adding 222 steps to your daily step count this may be a good thing, but if you are experiencing menopausal symptoms and it is 222 steps to your nearest toilet at work, the challenge is very different.  This was an example highlighted in a recent TM session.

Heavy bleeding or an urge to go to the toilet more often are common menopausal symptoms and when we are consulting with menopausal employees and considering health and safety implications, an employee’s physical environment should not be overlooked. 

Employers need to ensure that menopausal symptoms are not made worse by the physical workplace or its practices. 

So here, we might be thinking about temperature control, ventilation, access to toilet and washing/shower facilities.  This might not normally be an issue for employees but when experiencing symptoms may present a challenge. 

Also, is there a “safe space” for employees to ‘escape’ to? One individual told us the only place she could escape to was the disabled toilet - not very comfortable if you’re feeling very anxious, emotional or just need a short break.

What can you do? Consult with your menopausal employees and see what challenges they face; they may not want to bring up issues that may appear trivial to you but are huge to them.  Carry out individual risk assessments where appropriate and consider a general health and safety risk assessment for menopause.

Another important area to include in the risk assessment is whether menopause training is available to employees especially line managers.

It is proven that where employees have more control over their working environment, they have more control over their symptoms, therefore resulting in improved productivity at work.

 Small changes can make a BIG difference.