Female teachers at an academy trust will be allowed to work part time to cope with the effects of the menopause in a raft of new measures to help them.
The Gosport and Fareham Multi Academy Trust (GFM) consisting of five schools on the south coast of England, has issued guidance on how to support staff going through the stage.
Staff will also be helped by having fans in classrooms to help combat hot flushes and toilet breaks during lessons when needed.
Classes will be kept cool while staff will also be given time off to attend medical appointments and have the opportunity to work part time while coping with symptoms.
An estimated 2.5 million women are currently going through the menopause in the UK – and the experience can put a great strain on both body and mental health. Research revealed this month that one in ten women have left their job because of it.
The new measures come after a string of high-profile women including Davina McCall, Kirsty Wark and Mariella Frostrup publicly discussed their experiences of the menopause.
Teachers going through the menopause who work at Gosport and Fareham Multi Academy Trust schools (Rowner Junior School pictured) will be able to work part-time and use a fan in the classroom to help them cope
The trust (LWS Academy and Brune Park Community School pictured) say women going through the menopause are often an overlooked group in society and guidance should be there to support them
Davina McCall (pictured) has been very vocal about her journey with the menopause and the serious impacts it can have on mind and body
Kirsty Wark (pictured) starred in a documentary about menopause, which asked questions women ‘always wanted to know’ but were ‘too embarrassed to ask’
The average age of women reaching menopause is 51 although around 1 in 100 experience it before the age of 40.
HRT is often used to treat symptoms, but there has been a large, with a 38 per cent increase in the number of prescription items over the past seven years.
However there is currently a HRT shortage crisis in the UK, meaning many women have to face their often severe symptoms without any help.
The schools say they are trying to create an environment where female staff are comfortable discussing what is happening with their bodies and asking for support from managers.
Executive Director of Human Resources Marie Smith who helped to create the guidance says the subject is not openly discussed in the work place.
She said: ‘It is the small things that make a big difference. Being sympathetic to women’s experience and creating an environment that is open and honest is the very least we should expect.
‘There are lots of employment rights for protected groups and rightly so. I also believe this should extend to women, in this instance to those going through the menopause.
‘I am aware of the emotional and physical impact the perimenopause can have on colleagues and the strain that this can place on the body and on mental health.
‘It has become an off-limits subject in the work place because many women feel embarrassed discussing it publicly.
‘Women are often criticised or made to feel inadequate if their performance drops off at work. It can lead to them giving up work or changing their job.
‘This is something that affects millions of women yet there is still a huge taboo. We need greater understanding and education for that to change.
‘It is menopause guidance in a sense but also it is aimed at extending rights and protection to often overlooked group in society.’
Last year The Mail on Sunday revealed that PwC would train staff on how to help staff going through menopause.
The accounting giant, which employs 22,000 people in the UK, published guidance on how to discuss the menopause and launched seminars to educate younger staff on how it could affect them.
What are the symptoms of the menopause?
Most women will experience menopausal symptoms, they can be quite severe and significantly impact everyday activities.
Common symptoms include:
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex
- Difficulty sleeping
- Low mood or anxiety
- Reduced sex drive (libido)
- Problems with memory and concentration
- Weight gain and slowed metabolism
- Thinning hair and dry skin
- Loss of breast fullness
A survey of 2,400 women by the Fawcett Society, found that women suffering from the menopause are less likely to apply for a promotion.
It also suggested they are not getting enough support in the workplace when they enter the menopause.
The poor treatment can prevent career progression in later years and make it more likely they retire early, it added.
By having to take time off work to deal with the symptoms of menopause, women can miss out on promotions and pay hikes.
A woman who goes through early menopause could miss out on £20,000 over her career according to the Social Research Institute at University College London (UCL).
A recent poll of nearly 2,000 women found that half who had been through the menopause kept it secret from their partners.
It also found that a fifth did not tell anyone at first and 43 per cent felt ‘completely alone’.