Speaking with Lawyers Weekly, Nikki Robinson, a partner at Clayton Utz, emphasised the urgent need for law firms to intensify efforts in fostering open conversations about menopause and provide meaningful support to employees during this significant journey.

For Robinson, advocating for menopause awareness in the workplace holds both personal and professional importance. Having experienced menopause and the challenges it brings for nearly a decade, she understands firsthand how symptoms such as anxiety, hot flashes, mood swings, brain fog, and fatigue” can impact not only a woman’s overall health but also their level of confidence.

In a professional setting, Robinson noted that many women often feel that menopause hinders their career advancement or diminishes their performance in their current roles. Yet, despite these challenges, the issue has frequently been overlooked in workplace policies and discussions.

Steps firms need to take to dismantle stigma

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To dismantle the stigma surrounding menopause, Robinson stressed the importance of law firms adopting an “inclusive approach” that not only addresses the specific challenges faced by women but also considers the “flow-on effects” these challenges may have on the firm.

A productive starting point, she stated, is encouraging “open discussions” to help “build awareness” of this topic.

She revealed that the menopause program she established with Emma Howard, the national mental health manager at Clayton Utz, has started to foster “some really great conversations, all of which have led to a better understanding of the challenges faced by our people and more adjustments being made to support those affected if they’re needed”.

Given that many male leaders may hesitate to engage in conversations about menopause, Robinson suggested that firms should implement sessions to bridge the knowledge gap.

In the firm she works in, Robinsons shared that this initiative has helped male leaders gain a “better understanding [of] what menopause is” and its impact, fostering a more supportive work environment.

She stressed the importance for firms to implement such initiatives within their workplace “as increased awareness and proactive support for women in this way can lead to broader changes in how the legal industry supports women, encouraging other organisations to consider adopting similar approaches, ultimately building more inclusive and equitable workplaces”.

How firms can support women navigating menopause

Wellbeing and productivity specialist Thea O’Connor presented insights on how law firms can enhance their workplace environment to support employees experiencing menopause.

She listed four key strategies for fostering a supportive workplace environment:

1. Name it: Organisations should “talk openly about menopause to reduce stigma” and acknowledge the reality that “half of the population will experience this transition”.

2. Reframe it: Menopause should be viewed as a “developmental stage” in a woman’s life that can bring “real strengths, both individually and for the good of their work and communities”.

3. Equip people to have good conversations: Promote “curiosity and share quality information” as it can help employees – especially managers – “engage and support their colleagues” affected by menopause.

4. Make adjustments to support: Small but meaningful changes can “help lessen potential impacts” of menopause symptoms.

Employers must step up, say women lawyers

National legal organisation Australian Women Lawyers (AWL) told Lawyers Weekly that it should not be the responsibility of “individual women to reduce stigma and address workplace discrimination against those experiencing symptoms related to menopause”.

Instead, they argue that it is the responsibility of “employers and institutions” employing female lawyers to adopt a proactive approach aimed at “[eliminaing] any requirements and/or aspects of the physical environment that might exacerbate menopausal symptoms”, as this is a “workplace health and safety issue”.

AWL contends that these changes only necessitate “minimal adjustments or a slight change” to provide menopausal women with “greater autonomy and flexibility to manage their symptoms”.

The organisation specified that these modifications could include “adopting a flexible dress code, introducing measures to independently control office or workstation temperature, and responding promptly and without question when breaks are requested”.