Colleges to launch national staff menopause policy

The policy builds on menopause accommodation work already in place at colleges nationwide. Edinburgh, Dundee and Angus, Glasgow Clyde, and UHI North, West and Hebrides colleges already offer home or hybrid working staff options.

Staff can take extended breaks at Forth Valley, Glasgow Kelvin, and North East Scotland (NESCOL) colleges. Edinburgh College offers extra time to complete tasks and trains all managers in menopause-related support.

Other benefits include access to temperature-controlled workspaces, desk fans, and various mental health and support services, such as Menopause Champions at NESCOL and Glasgow Clyde or voluntary support groups at UHI Moray.

Staff have said the national policy represents a major step toward increasing menopause awareness and implementing workplace changes. Still, unions have said employers must continue matching awareness with effective action.

Menopause symptoms–including exhaustion, difficulty sleeping, hot flushes and joint stiffness–can cause serious physical discomfort at work. Many mitigation policies can help make workplaces more accommodating.

Many women also develop mental health issues during menopause, such as depression, anxiety and lack of confidence. Lynn Laing, Learning and Development Business Partner at NESCOL, said that addressing these symptoms required colleges to create a more knowledgeable and accepting space.

“The overwhelmingly positive feedback we received has reaffirmed how necessary the work has been for our staff who are going through the menopause and has helped the college take a significant step in breaking the taboo that still surrounds the issue.”

One staff member said the changes at NESCOL have left her feeling “stronger and more empowered” to better understand and manage her symptoms.

“I had been feeling depressed, was suffering from bouts of forgetfulness, had night sweats which were horrific, as well as bad flushes during classes. However, I had another dozen or so symptoms, which I did not recognise as being part of the menopause, until joining the group.

“The sharing of knowledge and tips on how to approach this time of life has been literally life-changing. I now know that there are symptoms others experience too, such as the weight gain and thinning hair.

“I had been so depressed for so long about my weight gain, and things I had tried hadn’t worked. This group has enabled me to try things that have worked for others and allowed me to share my journey.”

Another NESCOL employee said it was “heartbreaking to hear about the colleagues’ experiences, who described feeling embarrassed or anxious about everyday activities.

“NESCOL are willing to listen to the challenges many of us face coming into the workplace at this time and the embarrassment of having to speak to managers about these things – especially if a male manager.

“So raising awareness amongst all staff–openly talking about some of the things we have to negotiate and setting up the self-help group–has brought relief to some already."

Janet Stewart, UNISON lead for further education, said that the campaign comes following years of campaigning and policy support from UNISON.

"We've seen a societal change with more openness about the menopause and employers now accepting they have a role in improving workplaces for women.

"However, it's one thing having a policy, its another seeing it being fully delivered and we will work with staff and employers to make sure it is. We must continually reflect on how we can improve and make sure we live up to what has been promised.”

Support staff union GMB Scotland is carrying out its own “Smash the Stigma” campaign to raise menopause awareness and support.

Cara Stevenson, organiser with GMB’s Women’s Campaign Unit, welcomed the Scottish colleges’ initiative but said too many employers are still failing to recognise the full impact of menopause on staff.

“Scottish colleges should be commended for understanding that menopause is a workplace issue and more organisations should follow them.

“In recent years, there has seen a rise in the awareness of the menopause as a workplace issue but that must be matched by effective action.

“There is an increasing number of workers affected because there are more older women working longer making the need for support even more urgent.

“Tackling these issues is about tackling discrimination.”

The joint menopause policy has been drafted for all colleges and applies to all employees. It includes a guide for management to understand the symptoms of menopause and advises on reasonable adjustments for each.

CES Director Gavin Donoghue welcomed the national policy as a step in the right direction for better supporting college staff. (Image: CES)

At a time when college employers and trade unions have been engaged in some form of dispute for the best part of 10 years, the new menopause policy represents a rare positive product of the national bargaining process.

An EIS-FELA spokesperson said that the new policy represents the positive impact that the National Joint Negotiating Committee for colleges can have.

"The EIS-FELA representatives on the working group have spoken about the collegiality and common focus shown by everyone who attended, which has led to the production of a policy which is hoped will benefit many staff across the sector.”

Gavin Donoghue, CES Director, said: “The wide range of measures rolled out by colleges shows the determination of the sector to provide support that is tailored to the needs of each individual employee.

“Such support will be vital to enhancing the wellbeing of college staff during what can be an extremely challenging period in their lives. It will also help staff to continue to provide the world-class learning experience that students expect and deserve.”