Global standard may help HR navigate menstruation, menopause accommodations

As HR teams consider how to better support workers who experience menstruation and menopause, a new global standard may help inform how they design policies tied to these conditions.

The nearly 60-page standard, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on Sept. 7, includes a host of recommendations for workplace leaders to consider, from working conditions to job design to manager training.

It was spearheaded by the British Standards Institution (BSI), which develops national standards for government entities and consumers in the United Kingdom. The BSI initially worked on a UK standard after observing that high numbers of women were leaving the workforce early, in part due to health challenges stemming from menopause, Anne Hayes, director of sectors and standards development, told HR Brew.

“That meant organizations were losing skills, they were losing experience, and younger people coming into the organization were finding they were losing people that they could look up to and emulate and follow and be mentored by,” Hayes said.

Nearly 11% of women aged 45 to 60 reported missing work over the last year due to menopause, according to a Mayo Clinic survey conducted in 2021. The US loses $1.8 billion annually due to lost workdays tied to menopause, that same study found.

Takeaways from ISO’s global standard. Hayes described the global standard, which was developed with input from ISO’s 177 member countries, as a “toolkit” employers can use to develop policies in support of workers affected by menopause or menstruation.

It includes a set of practical actions employers can take in support of their workers, including rethinking job design, fostering a supportive workplace culture, and taking into consideration the physical aspects of work. It also addresses menstruation and menopause symptoms, and includes a toolkit for managers with guidance on how to have a confidential conversation, for example, or consider workplace modifications.

Hayes recommended writing a high-level policy on menopause and menstruation that can help inform how employers make decisions in support of those workers. The policy might make clear that a business is committed to supporting women affected by menstruation and menopause, she said.

From there, HR leaders can decide how best to support employees. This might entail granting short periods of leave to workers who need to go and rest in the middle of the day, for two or three hours, Hayes said. HR can ensure that restrooms are clean and make period products freely available, she added. Despite the fact that some 1.8 billion people menstruate each month, most companies still don’t offer free period products in their offices, HR Brew recently reported.

Hayes recognized that employees’ needs will differ when it comes to menopause and menstruation. She said it’s important to “enable your managers or your leaders to have open conversations,” and to “encourage people to come forward and talk,” so that the organization knows how best to support them.

Tapping into existing benefits. A high-level policy can also help employers think about benefits. In recent years HR Brew has reported on companies that have introduced menopause-specific offerings, such as Sun Life and Nvidia.

There are myriad point solutions on the market right now that address menopause, but HR teams should evaluate their current offerings first to see what might already be available to their workforce, Kristina Wilke, VP of strategy, solutions, and marketing with New York Life, recently told HR Brew.

Employees experiencing menopause might be able to access treatment through their medical carrier or an employee assistance program, Wilke said. “A lot of these programs do have those benefits, and so understanding that is absolutely key.”

Both ISO’s global standard and the burgeoning market for menopause benefits reflect a growing awareness among business leaders of how such conditions affect the way employees show up in the workplace.

The public sector is taking notice, too. The Senate recently held a hearing on menopause for the first time, and states like Rhode Island are enacting laws to provide menopause-related accommodations to workers. Menstrual leave isn’t yet mandated in US workplaces, but countries like Spain and Japan do extend this benefit to workers.