I recently wrote one… if you have access to XpertHR there is a good template there. Also, look at the policies published online by other organisations and adapt to fit yours. Age UK have a good one. Also, it’s a good idea to talk to managers and employees to understand what they need.
Finally, back it up with some learning resources for managers and employees. Talking Menopause are great.
Good luck!

The starting point needs to be "what problem is this policy seeking to address?"

Is it about absence due to the symptoms of the perimenopause? Or is it about recognizing postmenopausal women as valuable contributors to the business on par with men of the same age?

If it's the first, then you can probably get by with a policy adjustment to the sickness absence management policy that recognizes the perimenopause as a time-limited clinical condition that may require reasonable adjustments, including increased sickness absence, options for flexible working and consideration with respect to performance. Recognizing that "brain fog" is a temporary condition and allowing perimenopausal women the freedom to identify when it is affecting them and that, therefore, consideration should be given, would be helpful.

If it's the latter, well, doing the first one would be a good step forwards. Senior women leave work at accelerated rates during the perimenopause because perimenopausal symptoms leave them feeling unable to operate professionally, when the situation is a temporary one and pharmaceutical solutions are available.

Obtaining the services of a private specialist consultant, if your budget stretches to it, would be an excellent investment. Unfortunately, GPs have a patchy understanding of perimenopausal symptoms/treatments, and tend to throw a one-size-fits-all-and-that-size-is-HRT solution at it whenever it arises. There are specialist GPs (I'm close friends with one) but they are a rare breed.

And educating both managers and women in general about the perimenopause, its symptoms and the variety of options in treatment would be a good idea, too. Obviously men are pretty ignorant in this area, but it has surprised me how little women know about the perimenopause - but it turns out to be not that surprising when you discover how little quality clinical research has been done on the subject (which is why GPs remain so poorly informed as a rule).

But we're drifting away from policy and into strategy, now, so I'll restate where I began: define the problem you're trying to solve.

Thank you!

Hi Giedre. The Co-op policy is a good one and they actively encourage companies to copy it. They also have a guide for managers and a menopause wellbeing action plan. Gill

Hi Giedre... and welcome to the Community.

Lots of CIPD guides and resources here... and previous forum discussions.

In reply to Gill:

www.co-operative.coop/.../co-op-doubles-down-on-menopause-support - good call more info here!

Hi Giedre, I'm not sure I'd go for a separate policy I might go for including it in an overall wellbeing, health and care package. There are lots of charities/groups out there supporting this area (Henpicked net, Gen M, Pausivity, Miss Menopause etc etc) and the CPID resources have been shared below.

I believe women and men need support, signposting to good quality info and a listening ear as well as practical support - fans in the office for example for any man or women that runs hot....you can then decide if a separate policy is needed. Good luck.

Hi - I am looking at menopause from a workplace wellbeing standpoint and would like to know how other organisations with policies in place handle this in regard to sickness absence.

There has been talk about ensuring that menopause related absence should not count towards sickness absence 'triggers', but how do you confirm that an absence is menopause related? Would you take the employee's word for this, or would you ask for some kind of proof from a medical professional that their absence is menopause related?

In reply to Karen Close:

I think there will be differing views on this.

From my own personal experience as a menopausal 54 year, I find society's current approach to the menopause, with its policies, push towards taking tablets and encouragement to talk to managers to be so completely off the mark that it is making me more keen to take early retirement as soon as I can, than ever before.

The idea that if I was off sick, someone would be asking me if it was to do with the menopause, so they could decide whether it counted towards a 'trigger' fills me with absolute horror.

I am conscious that I may be a lone voice on this one though

In reply to Karen Close:

We already have a Menopause Policy in place and are working on the wider Menopause support (Henpicked, CIPD etc have been very useful resources)
Our Attendance Management policy currently (we are reviewing it at the moment) is that ALL absence (including Disability) is considered for absence triggers. However it is then looked at on a case by case basis as to what outcome and support would be considered once it reached the formal stages of the process.

In reply to Steve Bridger:

"If you know a woman, love a woman, or come from a woman... you need to know about the menopause."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-63234486

Hi All

I have downloaded a template Menopause Policy from a well known HR resource and note that it includes contractors as part of who it applies to within the organisation.  Can anyone tell me why it would be relevant to contractors?  Its just spiniing around in my mind and i can't seem to reason it out - unless an equality issue - or maybe an error on the resource

In reply to NATALIE:

Why wouldn't it be relevant to contractors?

A menopause policy applies to everyone who experiences the menopause or works with those who do. Surely contractors are not precluded from either of those by the fact of being a contractor?

In reply to NATALIE:

Hi NATALIE - hope you don't mind but I've 'merged' your new thread with this pre-existing discussion. Seems appropriate to keep the discussion in one place. Thanks for posing the question.