To think that most company menopause policies are an absolute joke?

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/our-work/news/equality-watchdog-supports-important-tribunal-hearing-alleged-menopause-discrimination - I don't know if this is any help to you, it's a ruling that has literally just gone through (2 days ago).

It's come too late for me but might help others like you. I wasn't in as high powered a job as you but had to give up working in an okay-ish, reasonably well-paid career when the menopause hit and I genuinely didn't know what was wrong with me. It took me over two years to even be able to function properly and as you say, I'll never be the person I was at 30 again. Or even 45.

The policy is there for you and your boss to use to find something that works for you. It's not part of HR's role to manage you or your situation.

If you want reasonable adjustments of course you have to discuss them with your boss, whatever the condition is.

Exactly @Tara24 I completely agree. I've been lucky perhaps but I wouldn't want to contribute to a stereotype that 50 something women lose their confidence. If I need time of I'll get a doctor to send a certified sick note to the absence management team.

YANBU but then about as effective as a maternity/equality/recruitment policy. Unless you're a white straight man you're lacking in workplace protection and it's amazing if any woman gets through with being unfairly treated in a career. Personally my only antidote has been finding a new employer when I feel like one isn't treating me well but not always so easy.

I hate all this menopause obsession. Why on earth do you need to have a policy to deal with a perfectly normal biological process ? It's a sure fire way to make women even more a target of discrimination in the work place.

I'm 50 and work full time. Sure, tired from insomnia , but no more so than the young parents I work with. Why can't age and experience be seen as a positive thing ? Why can't being in our fifties be seen as when our experience shines through? But instead you want a snowflake policy and to whinge about 'slowing down" like you're 80. Ugh.

Saw you have t any responses. I'm similar age and profile and an HR director. I think you need to be specific - what reasonable adjustments are you looking for? Have you spoken to your Manager to say that you are suffering these physical side effects of menopause ? If you are not explicit then they are not going to be able to identify something for you. Can you work out where you are struggling. Is it really worthwhile the 4 days per week in my experience staff always end up increasingly undertaking 5 days work in 4 and are then hugely resentful so it's a lose lose. (I'm also speaking for personal experience). If there is a risk to your role it is V worthwhile to get this formally flagged up up - you say it's a big firm - is there not an HR Business Partner assigned to the business area you are in that you could contact?

Argue it from the position of being paid less in reflection of less responsibility.

As a 53 year old still working 5 days a week, I don't know if these menopause policies will help women. In our 30s we had to face interviewers suspecting we might get pregnant, in our 40s we face interviewers suspecting we might have kids to be home for, and now in our 50s we have to face interviewers suspecting we are "slowing down".

I will not be saying the word menopause at work. Even if I have a hysterectomy (not planned) I'll say I had car trouble.

Can you ask for an occupational health assessment?