The Menopause Taboo at Work: Examining Women’s Embodied Experiences of Menopause in the UK Police Service

By Carol Atkinson, Fiona Carmichael & Jo Duberley

In our recent Work, Employment and Society article, we develop understanding of gendered ageing (and ageism) in the workplace by presenting our research on women’s experiences of menopause transition while working in the police service. Menopause refers to the ceasing of periods which, for most women, happens in their late 40s to early 50s. Menopause transition, or peri-menopause, is the period leading up to menopause in which many symptoms can occur as part of the change process and lasts 4-8 years. While each woman has a different experience of menopause, for many these symptoms can cause difficulty both generally and in the workplace. Understanding of the workplace implications of menopause transition has become increasingly important as an ageing workforce means that more and more women are working during this life stage.

Our research was conducted via an online survey in three large, urban police forces and this is important context: the police service is male-dominated with an often macho culture that can be challenging for women to navigate. We argue that women’s bodily experiences of menopause can be improved or made worse by context, so symptoms have a material effect for many, but that women have agency in dealing with these and their working environments have significant influence. Against this backdrop, we explored women’s experiences of menopause transition symptoms, their attitudes towards menopause and whether they had disclosed their transition status to their line manager or colleagues.

We found that many women experienced symptoms that were ‘bothersome’, and for some these had a very negative effect on their working lives. Most bothersome were difficulties in sleeping, tiredness, poor memory and concentration, hot flushes and night sweats. These physical symptoms are well-recognised, but many also reported less well-known psycho-social symptoms such as anxiety and low mood. Wearing uniform, body armour and working shifts often exacerbated the difficulties associated with symptoms. More highly educated women, however experienced less bother with their symptoms, possibly as they had more autonomy in managing their working routines.

There were mixed results around attitudes towards menopause. Many saw it as a natural life stage and felt that they benefitted from no longer having periods. Some even saw it as a new and exciting life stage. Many were, however, unprepared for menopause and had little awareness or understanding of it, and some felt negatively about the changes their body was experiencing. Workplace context was again important: women felt that they maintained their job performance, often by working harder, but were concerned that managers and colleagues would perceive them to be less competent. They were also exposed to ridicule and ‘banter’, belittled as they worked to manage their symptoms against a backdrop that expected police officers to be male, young, fit and strong. Many felt disadvantaged by being an older woman in menopause transition and examples of gendered ageism were rife.

Perhaps unsurprisingly then, most women chose not to disclose their menopausal status to their line manager. Reasons varied from a fear of being seen as less competent, to concerns over line manager gender and/or age, embarrassment, or that it was a private matter. Context was again important, as women were more likely to disclose in more female-dominated teams or with a female manager. A minority of women were even resistant to attempts to raise the profile of menopause in the workplace, arguing that it would set back progress for older women and reduce their chances of being taken seriously or promoted.

In conclusion, our research evidenced gendered ageism and disadvantage for (usually) older women in menopause transition. The interplay of body and context was important and a police service culture that is still male-dominated created many difficulties. Women do, nevertheless, have agency in dealing with their symptoms, indeed those who were better prepared for this life stage appeared to better manage their symptoms. We also found that most women, despite concerns about the raising the profile of menopause, benefitted from workplace support which could include adapted uniforms, access to cold water and toilets, flexible working and supportive colleagues. Our research thus has important implications for organisations, which have a responsibility to create supportive cultures and environments to enable women in menopause transition to retain their dignity and fulfil their potential at work.

Article details

The Menopause Taboo at Work: Examining Women’s Embodied Experiences of Menopause in the UK Police Service
Carol Atkinson, Fiona Carmichael & Jo Duberley
First Published December 22, 2020
DOI: 10.1177/0950017020971573
Work, Employment and Society

About the Authors

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Jo Duberley is Professor of Organisation Studies at University of Birmingham. Central to her research is an interest in the concept of career. In recent years, she has developed research examining the impact of gender, ethnicity, social class and age on careers in a variety of contexts, including defence, professional service organisations and the police in the UK. Current interests focus on the career progression of women in the professions, ageing and menopause at work. She co-directs the Work Inclusivity Research Centre at the University of Birmingham with Dr Holly Birkett.

Fiona Carmichael is Professor of Labour Economics in the Department of Management at Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham. Her research centres on employment and marginalised workers, including: trade-offs between paid work and unpaid caregiving; barriers to work facing older workers, particularly older women; retirement decisions and outcomes; decisions about work by disabled people and their families, including family caregivers. Recent work in these areas uses a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods.

Carol Atkinson is Professor of Human Resource Management at ManMet Business School, where she is based in the Decent Work and Productivity research centre. Her research focuses on employment and careers for diverse groups, including women and older workers, and for sectors such as adult social care and small and medium-sized enterprises. She has led or been part of projects that cover menopause in the workplace and gender pay gaps in medicine (Department of Health and Social Care funded) and is currently a Co-Investigator on an ESRC Good Employment Learning Lab project, leading the adult social care stream.