JHL’s extensive survey: Menopause symptoms are ignored in workplaces
Trade Union JHL conducted a menopause survey that received responses from nearly 10,000 union members. Most workplaces do not have practices for recognising, and even less for managing, menopause symptoms. JHL demands concrete changes in workplaces.
Workplaces are not very good at recognising and managing menopause symptoms as something that affects work ability. This becomes evident in a survey that JHL conducted in May.
Less than one per cent of the almost 10,000 respondents answered that their workplace has practices for supporting work ability during menopause. Solutions can include for example adjustments of work and working hours. 73% answered that there are no such practices in their workplace, and 26% were not sure.
Furthermore, almost four out of five thought that workplaces need more information about how menopause symptoms affect work ability.
“Although menopause is discussed more than before these days, the survey shows that there are significant shortcomings in awareness and practices in workplaces”, says the Chief Executive Officer of the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL Mari Keturi.
The survey was sent to about 70,000 union members who were identified as female in JHL’s membership register and were at least 35 years old. It was also sent to people in occupational safety and health roles.
Half of employed people undergo menopause at some point. As many as 80% of them get some kind of menopause symptoms. The best-known menopause symptoms are sweating and hot flashes.
“This is not a challenge for individual employees, this is a matter that needs to be addressed better in workplaces throughout Finland. This cannot be ignored any longer”, says Keturi.
Keturi points out that the labour force is ageing, especially in female-dominated sectors, and shortage of skilled employees is already a challenge. At the same time, people are working longer and longer.
“We must ensure that experienced employees get the support they need to continue working. This is a matter of both work ability and equality at work.”
JHL wants to see menopause as part of work ability management
Among JHL members, about 70% are likely to experience menopause at some point of their lives. Many of them do physically demanding work. For example, many jobs in social and health care, early childhood education and care, catering, and cleaning involve lots of lifting.
Mari Keturi demands that it is time to make menopause part of normal work ability management.
“Coping with work is improved with clear practices in occupational health cooperation, knowledgeable managers and flexible work arrangements. An employer has a statutory obligation to take care of an employee’s work ability.”
The Occupational Safety and Health Act obligates employers to consider individual factors that affect an employee for example in planning, risk assessment and day-to-day management of the work. Menopause symptoms can be such individual factors that need to be considered.
More information:
Anne Ranta
Senior Working Life Specialist, Trade Union JHL
040 701 8223, anne.ranta@jhl.fi
Mari Keturi
Chief Executive Officer, Trade Union JHL
050 461 9315, mari.keturi@jhl.fi
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