Working through menopause: the role of hybrid working in symptom management for UK higher education professional services employees

ABSTRACT

This study considered how hybrid working impacts the management of menopause symptoms in HE Professional Services (PS) employees. The evidence suggested that work was affected by menopause symptoms and poor workplace control increased symptom severity. Participants adapted their working environment and employed compensatory actions to perform optimally. In the office, women felt obliged to work through symptoms, whereas at home, women often worked longer hours. Women made career decisions based on symptoms. Job control and task-based autonomy gave improved menopause experiences. Supportive environments yielded positive workplace menopause transitions, even with low autonomy. Existing mechanisms like performance development reviews (PDRs), workplace risk assessments and reasonable adjustments could be used. Universities should raise awareness and provide training for managers, as the research showed that women wanted choice about menopause disclosure. A HE sector-level response is needed to address this extensive occupational health concern, to benefit from increased engagement and decreased staff turnover.

KEYWORDS:

• Menopause
• Perimenopause
• Hybrid working
• Professional services

Acknowledgements

My grateful thanks are given to the eleven women who generously shared their experiences with me. I hope I have done justice to your stories.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval

Ethical approval for the Masters research described in this manuscript followed the procedures of Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University.

Notes

1 The term ‘woman’ and the pronouns ‘she/her’ are used throughout this report in congruence with the terminology of the literature and the characteristics of participants sampled in the primary research phase. It is acknowledged that some trans men and non-binary people may also experience menopause symptoms.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah Pryor

Sarah Pryor is the Acting Head of Equality Diversity and Inclusion in Cardiff University and has previously held several research administration and management roles in the HE, public and private sectors. Sarah holds a BSc (Hons) Chemistry from Cardiff University and an MSc in Higher Education Administration, Management and Leadership from Nottingham Trent University. Sarah's MSc research was given the ‘Professional Services Research Which Advances Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the HE Sector’ award in the 2023 AUA conference, and she uses her menopause knowledge to facilitate Menopause Cafes and deliver training sessions to UK universities.